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POEMS 


FOR THE LOW IN SPIRIT 


Loven Ansel Nichols 




FOOTE & DAVIES, INC. 


ATLANTA, GEORGIA 


TS 3527 

. T3 I StTfc 


INTRODUCTION 


A Poem 


A poem is a group of three, 

The meter, thought, and rhyme; 
And when it has all three in depth; 
Its beauty is sublime; 

Each is well important, 

But poems may be wrought 
Without the meter or the rhyme, 
But not without the thought. 


RECEIVED 


JAN 2 4 :947 


COPYRIGHT omaa 




75 4 0 



Preface 

I give my love in poetry 
To lovers born of God, 

Who are as lowly as the dove, 

Or lilies in the mud. 

The simple verses written down 
For humble folk to read; 

But give me not a word of praise, 
For I am naught indeed. 

My mortal body full of sin, 

This all unworthy clay, 

By works can merit nothing, 

And lasts for but a day. 

’Tis only stricken, fallen dust, 

Its habitation low; 

Without the Comforter to lead, 

It knows not where to go. 

There’s no accomplished greatness; 
The man is low and vile; 

Unless Jehovah there abides, 

Is full of Satan’s guile, 

For man is fallen, cannot rise; 

And cannot purify 
Another of His lowly kind; 

His lot is but to die. 

So, light must come from God alone, 
For HE ALONE is great, 
Omniscient, and eternal; 

In holy, high estate. 

And none can merit right to claim 
In this unholy dust 
The vision of immortals, 

Or in Himself to trust. 


CONTENTS 


Page 

Introduction. 2 

W ORKS . 7 

Prayers.23 

Longing .70 

Praise ... 81 

Laws of God .Ill 

The Christian Life.115 

Love .119 

Faith .123 

Hope .129 

Assurances.144 

Nature.160 

The Human Body . .170 


copyright 
19 4 7 

L. A. NICHOLS 















A PRAYER 


O Thou Most High in Heaven, 
Eternal, Holy King, 

I beg that meekly I may soar 
Upon thy muse’s wing 
To realms of beauty, love, and truth, 
With wisdom to converse, 

And then in holy purity 
Express it all in verse. 

Into thy depths we have not gone; 
We’ve only seen the shore; 

In thy delightful ocean 
There’s infinitely more; 

We’ve only seen the seashells 
We’ve picked up on the sand; 

But near the holy sea of truth 
Thy humble children stand. 

And in the great eternity, 

Upon its boundless calm, 

We’ll walk with Christ upon that sea 
And breathe its holy balm; 

And there into the perfect depths 
Of wisdom, love, and truth 
We’ll look with God the Maker; 

And spend eternal youth. 


DEDICATION 


Several years ago, O Reader, I was suddenly over¬ 
whelmed, humbled, and exalted in an inclination and 
desire to write verse. Very few poems had I ever written 
before that time; none to speak of. Along with the 
ability for writing came the feeling and the conviction 
that this new power was a gift from Heaven. As to the 
truth of this I cannot say definitely. I only know a 
power moved me that was not of myself. I know this 
also: My poems are imperfect, but this imperfection 
comes, not from the power that moves me, but from 
my inability to express my thoughts and feelings as 
they come. Further, often have I suffered in despond¬ 
ency, sometimes to the brink of despair, before being 
able to pen my thoughts and feelings. But with the re¬ 
turn of light and power each time there has come an 
inexpressible sweetness I would like to pass on to you. 
While I am a member of the church of my choice, I 
did not intend that this little book should be denomi¬ 
national in any way. I only hope that it may express 
humble truth as it is in our Lord, and edify the faith¬ 
ful in Christ Jesus everywhere. 

Affectionately, 

L. A. Nichols 

May 27,1946 


WORKS 


HIS WORK IS PERFECT 

Perfection is upon the earth; 

It even dwells in men; 

But only in the Spirit, 

It never dwells in sin. 

It comes from out the Trinity; 

It comes alone from God; 

It is in all eternity; 

And in the lowly sod. 

Perfection is an attribute 
Of Nature’s mighty King; 

The ONE who makes the roses bloom, 
And holy praises sing; 

The ONE who reigns in righteousness 
Within the hearts of men; 

Who drives the adversary far, 

To claim His own again. 

Who brings the holy life, and light 
Into the humble heart; 

Who ushers in the law of love 
When evil will depart. 

Who finally will bring the day 
When sin will be no more; 

When all His own will dwell with Him 
On His eternal shore. 


7 









JOY IN ONE’S CALLING 


I find a joy in writing verse, 

A satisfaction keen; 

Perhaps a benediction, 

And thereupon I lean. 

A beauty and a blessing, 

’Tis sweet and ’tis benign. 
Encouraging and leading. 

I think it is divine. 

I find a glory hidden there 
Not hitherto explained. 

Not of myself, but higher, 

For better things ordained. 

And therein is my life and hope 
To move at God’s command. 

To do His will, and walk with Him 
According as He planned. 

Before I find expression, though, 
For feelings of the soul, 

I oft encounter suffering 
That I would now extol. 

A sorrow, and exalted fear; 

My thoughts I cannot keep. 

I sometimes shout aloud in joy 
In ecstasy I weep. 

And in the destitution there 
To others hardly known 
I think the angels intervene 
With something from the throne. 
The feeling there is not contained 
In any words of mine. 

But manifest, perhaps, in truth 
In something there divine. 


INSPIRATION 


In writing all my poetry 
I go beyond myself 
I go beyond my powers, 

And like the little elf, 

I do the things I cannot do, 

The power isn’t mine; 

Tis wielded by another hand; 
Perhaps it is divine. 

It seeks to praise the God of truth; 
Exalt the God of love; 

His holy love majestic; 

Its righteousness to prove; 

It seeks to always beautify 
The mortal effort here; 

To try to trust in God alone, 

And beg Him to be near. 

It tries to say that mortal man 
Is only fallen dust; 

And that the great OMNIPOTENT 
Is infinitely just. 

And that His holy blessings 
Are in His grace alone; 

That man can merit nothing 
By efforts all his own. 

That every good is of the Lord; 
That HE is King of all; 

The Master of the earth and skies; 
That man CANNOT recall; 

That HE is perfect in His ways; 

The GIVER of the life 
So beautiful, unending 
That knows no sin or strife. 


9 


CONSTANCY 


A man must do the best he can 
In all his earthy way; 

No matter what his problems; 

Nor yet how dark the day; 
Prosperity, adversity 
Are finally the same; 

When we are in the Savior, 

And worshipping His name. 

A man must do the best he can; 

For this the Lord requires; 

For God will never strengthen us 
Around the sacred fires 
When we but sit in idleness, 

And wait for him to do 

The thing that he commands to us. 

For I must work; and you. 

A man must do the best he can; 

For this is in the law; 

For God’s “Thou Shalt” and “Thou 
Shalt Not” 

Have never had a flaw; 

The struggles are to strengthen us; 

Or make us realize 

That we are in the Savior; 

That HE ALONE is wise. 


10 


TOILING ON 

Toil on, my soul, toil on, toil on, 

Toil on and on and on; 

The time is but a rage of tears; 

But toil Thou on and on; 

Thy Keeper knows thine every care; 
And He will surely hear Thy prayer; 
His grace is all sufficient here, 

So toil Thou on and on. 

Thy work, perhaps, may seem to Thee 
Too little to be good; 

But toil thou in thy humble realm 
As though thou understood 
The heights and depths of all that is, 
And look to God alone; 

For He thy Keeper knows thy way, 

So toil thou on, and on. 


NO NEED TO FEAR 

With eyes to see and ears to hear 
Go forth to work and not to fear. 

Go forth to fight, and not to fail, 
When evil forces you assail. 

When all the world upon you frowns 
In all the silliness of clowns, 

Then let your prayer to God ascend. 
And you will conquer in the end. 

The voice of truth cannot be hushed 
Although into the earth it’s crushed. 
For light can banish darkness well; 
And shine into the depths of hell. 
And right will triumph over wrong 
While you the angels walk among; # 
For God is God; HE still is king, 

And brings to justice everything. 


11 



GOD S GREAT WORKS 


In poetry personified 
Are many beauties high; 

As in majestic mountains, 

The valleys and the sky. 

As in the sturdy, aged oak; 

The sun, the moon, the stars, 

Though I don’t know Arc turns 
From Jupiter, or Mars. 

The sea is full of loveliness, 

Of harmony and song, 

So blue, so deep, so full, so wide, 

So active, and so strong. 

And all so great and useful; 

And tribute not required; 

And all who see its beauties 
Are verily inspired. 

The humble life is poetry 
With Heaven’s beauties shown 
Bespeaking in its loveliness 
That God is on His throne; 

The Master of the universe 
Is reigning in the heart, 

Who even now is with us, 

And never will depart. 

The Great, Majestic KING OF ALL 
Is reigning everywhere 
In every one with eyes to see 
And those with ears to hear; 

And who, oh, who appreciates 
The omnipresence given? 

To cheer and bless and strengthen us 
And make us think of Heaven. 


12 


HOLY DESIRE 


I wish to do the Father s will; 

My Master would I please; 

I do not want to dwell in sin, 

Or on a bed of ease. 

But think and speak in righteousness, 
And walk with God alone; 

For it is HE who rules the earth. 

And on the highest throne. 

Tis HE who reigns in righteousness 
In all the humble hearts; 

And when He comes in holiness, 

All evil then departs; 

And when he manifests Himself, 

’Tis easy to be good; 

So then, without His Spirit here 
Is nothing understood. 

And so, upon a bended knee, 

In spirit very poor, 

I beg Him for His holy grace 
To help me to endure; 

I beg Him for a holy faith 
Enduring and sublime. 

That helps me truly walk with Him 
Though on the sands of time. 


HAPPY IN DOING 


I love my poetry so well, 

The subjects, thoughts, and words; 
The meditations of my soul; 

The action it affords; 

The great emotions I must know, 
The beauties that I see. 

And, oh, the time that I must spend 
Upon a bended knee. 

The sorrows that I must endure; 

The joys that oft are mine; 

The ecstasies I sometimes feel, 

My thoughts to so refine; 

My wanderings in every way; 

So much too deep for tears; 

And when my soul is left alone, 

I shroud myself in fears. 

But let me trust in God alone 
Who can my fear dispel; 

Whose peace can raise to holy heights 
That here no pen can tell, 

To let me feel His holiness, 

And radiate His light; 

To know His mighty presence 
Will guide my soul aright. 


14 


GOING TO CHURCH 


I will show you by my presence 
That His love is in my heart; 

And I’m willing in His service 
Now to try to do my part. 

Though I’m weak and frail and erring, 
Though I’m only fallen dust, 

I will try to do His bidding, 

I’ll obey Him here; I must. 

Though I cannot conquer Satan, 
Though his imps surround me here, 

I will try to serve my Savior; 

He will cast away my fear. 

He will keep me by His power; 

He has saved me by His blood; 

And I’ll try to keep on trying 
To accomplish something good. 

I will try to serve and praise Him; 

He in love will me caress, 

For of all the great possessions 
He’s the greatest, we possess. 

All the world will come to nothing, 
But the WORD forever stands; 

I will study well His teachings 
And obey His great commands. 


15 


SOWING AND REAPING 

Oh, help us, Lord, to walk with Thee, 
And try to do Thy will; 

To try to conquer self, and sin, 

With all our might and skill; 

To lean upon Thy promises, 

To always trust in Thee, 

To try to work a work of praise, 

And do it all for Thee. 

For all Thy ways are perfect; 

Thy countenance is light; 

And holy is Thy being; 

Eternal is Thy might; 

And none can let or hinder Thee, 

Or make Thy way to err; 

And in Thy holy precepts 
We all should be astir. 

For every man will surely reap 
Whatever he may sow; 

Most truly if he sows to sin, 

Then he will reap the woe; 

Ah, when he sows to righteousness, 
The Lord will always keep. 

And when we sow in waywardness. 

In bitterness we weep. 


16 


YOUR FOUNDATION 


(An exhortation) 

Let all your efforts, all your works on 
fundamentals rest, 

The artificial on the earth is not of 
Heaven blest; 

The fundamentals are of God, a safe 
foundation pure, 

Tis truth, ’tis holy, ’tis a rock and always 
will endure; 

’Tis not a phantom, not a freak; Decep¬ 
tion cannot stand, 

Then build your house upon a rock, and 
not upon the sand. 

The building will be permanent; it 
stands before the storm, 

The winds of all adversity its glories can¬ 
not harm; 

The raging sea of hellish hate its beauties 
cannot mar, 

’Tis on the Rock of Ages among the 
things that are; 

The great foundations God hath made 
containeth not a flaw, 

And all successful work is done on funda¬ 
mental law. 


17 


A REMEDY 


The remedy for blues is action— 

In thought, in word, in deed, 

But not in any clique or faction 
Of sin’s seductive lead, 

But action noble, true, and kind, 

Where angels guide, and keep, 

Where fruit you find for soul and mind, 
Where ecstasies you reap. 

Where beauty in your life is made, 

And growth in holy grace, 

That sweetness may your life pervade, 
That love may keep apace; 

Where God’s own Holy Spirit goes 
To take his perfect peace, 

To free your pose from ills and woes 
And let your faith increase. 


THY SALVATION 

Oh, the joys of thy salvation 
When we in the Spirit know; 

Oh, how sweet the consecration! 
When we walk with HIM below; 
Oh, the grandeur of His presence! 
When it pleases Him to be 
Manifestly around us, 

There to show us we are free. 

Oh, the joys of Thy salvation! 

Oh, how sweet it is to know 
That His holy power keeps us 
While we walk the earth below; 
Though in weaknesses we wander 
Off in vanity and sin, 

Our Savior hath redeemed us, 

And will bring us back again. 

18 



HUMILITY 

On earth my task is but to work; 

I have no other choice, 

For therein are my blessings, 

And there will I rejoice; 

I’ll try to do the will of God; 

My life is in His plan, 

Although I’m but a member of 
The family of man. 

The Lord has given many gifts 
So greater than we know 
For GOD THE GREAT OMNIPO¬ 
TENT 

Can anything bestow. 

Jehovah reigns in righteousness, 

His wisdom is supreme; 

And Jesus by Himself hath won; 

His own He did redeem. 


DESIRE 

Oh, let me find a joy in work; 

A blessedness in toil; 

A satisfaction realize 
That nothing can despoil; 

In humble, true devotion 
The best that I afford, 

For ’tis the law of Heaven, 

And great is the reward. 

Oh, let me find a joy in work 
That nothing can dispel; 

For in the end is victory 
When I but do it well; 

And in the final end is peace, 

A satisfaction earned. 

A something loved in beauty 
For which the soul hath yearned. 

19 



HOLY GROUND 


When angels come commanding Thee, 
Then what canst answer Thou? 

For what is man within himself? 

Or who can tell him how? 

Oh, what is man himself to speak? 

His frame is only clay, 

And God is all omnipotent, 

And HE will have His way. 

Oh, what is man to answer God? 
Whose words are ever true 
In love and benedictions 
To show us what to do, 

His voice and all His great commands 
In every age and clime, 

Though borne by men or angels, 
Have stood the test of time. 

For God is perfect; God is just; 

The Heavens are His Throne; 

He dwells in all the earth and skies 
To keep and claim His own; 

Before His great perfection 
Let all to stand in awe, 

For man is only fallen dust, 

And always full of flaw. 

For man is always low and vile, 

And God He must obey 
Or suffer all the consequence 
His debt to fully pay; 

So always be in solemn prayer 
To know what GOD commands; 

HE promised to be with us here, 

And still the promise stands. 


20 


BREVITY OF LIFE 


We go the way of life but once; 

So quickly all is done; 

So quickly goes the morn of life, 

So soon the evening sun; 

So soon we pass the end of life, 

So fleeting every breath, 

So certain is the march of time, 

So sure the hand of death. 

We go the way of life but once; 
Eternity so near; 

How early in the spring of life 
Do Heaven’s lights appear; 
Sometimes they come in early years 
While youth is holding sway; 
Perhaps ’tis earlier in life 
In childhood’s tender day. 

And always ’tis the work of God, 
And always it is sure; 

Eternally the work of God 
Most surely will endure; 

The Light of Heaven in. the soul, 
Though humble as a clod, 

Can never be extinguished, 

For it belongs to God. 


21 

















































































PRAYERS 


A PRAYER 

Oh, let me not deceive myself, 

Dear Lord, but look to thee; 

Oh, let me feel the holy hand 
That loves and shelters me; 

And let me know that holy touch, 
That love that makes me free, 

Oh, let me feel that Presence as 
When angels come to me. 

Where I can see thy holy face 
With holy eyes within, 

My Savior there whose holy grace 
Has saved me from my sin; 

And let me see in holy light 
That brings to me the truth; 

Oh, bring to me thy righteousness 
That I be not uncouth. 

And let me shed those humble tears 
That gives me rest in thee, 

That holy, sweet communion 
With thine and also thee; 

Enlarge my vision, Lord of Hosts, 
That I may trust in thee, 

And feel the PERFECT PRESENCE 
Of HIM who died for me. 


23 







RESOLUTION AND PRAYER 

I’ll try to trust in Thee, O Lord, 

I’ll try to trust in Thee, 

Although I often feel a blight, 

I’ll try to trust in Thee; 

Sometimes I do not know the right, 
And oft I cannot see the light, 

I know not when to wait, or fight, 

But let me trust in Thee. 

Oh, let me trust in Thee, dear Lord, 
How great to trust in Thee! 

I know that Thou hast been this way, 
And I will trust in Thee; 

My debt was more than I could pay, 
And Thou art still my hope and stay, 
There is none else, to Thee I pray, 
Oh, I will trust in Thee! 


PRAYER AND MEDITATION 

If ’tis Thy will, Almighty God, 

For me to write of Thee, 

Of truth and love, and hope and peace 
That comes alone from Thee, 

Then give me strength, and visions clear 
In any measure Thine, 

And sweetest tenderness from Thee, 
And gold, the superfine. 

My frame is only clay; ’tis dust; 

With nothing of its own 
No hope but in the grace of God 
Whose will is His alone, 

Whose power none can measure, 

Whose beauty none can know; 

The heavens and the earth are Thine 
As all Thy works doth show. 

24 



A PRAYER 


O LIGHT CELESTIAL, inward shine, 
And drive away my gloom. 

My fear expunge, my gold refine; 

Annul impending doom. 

Oh, give me peace; and let me work 
According to Thy will; 

Though danger everywhere may lurk, 
Thy love, O Lord, instill. 

Oh, let Thine all abounding grace, 

Thy mercy great and deep, 

Surround, That I may keep apace, 

My soul, O Lord, to keep; 

And give me strength in every way, 

The measure that I need, 

To walk with Thee from day to day 
In every humble deed. 


A CONFESSION 

So often, Lord, I know not when 
The tempter comes to tempt to sin; 

For as he went and tempted Eve, 

His lies he leads me to believe, 

I cannot always know His pose, 

For so deceitfully he goes; 

So subtle he, his every act, 

His lies we think to be a fact; 

The truth of God would he distort 
By making lies of every sort; 

He often comes in such disguise 
With words so false (but seeming wise) 
That we are led in subtle charm 
Into the throes of grievous harm, 

In agonies too deep to tell, 

Until we feel the woes of hell. 


25 



RESIGNATION 


What is Thy pleasure, Lord of Hosts, 
What wilt, Thou, I should do? 

My life awaits Thy bidding 
Until my task is through. 

No other would I ever serve, 

No other would I love, 

No other would I bow before 
My faithfulness to prove. 

For all the earth is full of fault, 

And all the world must weep; 

The world is all unrighteousness; 

No treasure here to keep. 

’Tis everywhere but sin and shame; 
’Tis all but ill and woe; 

No power on the earth to keep; 

No mercy to bestow. 

But in Thy hand is everything; 

The earth is Thine alone; 

No power can compare to Thine; 
And holy is Thy Throne. 

Forever and forever 
Thy Kingdom shall endure; 

And all Thy love for all Thine own 
Eternally is sure. 

So now I fall before Thy face, 
Awaiting there Thy call, 

Awaiting there Thy holy will, 

For Thou art all and all; 

Into Thy hands I put my life; 

Direct it as Thou wilt; 

For in Thy holy Sacrifice 
Is hidden all my guilt. 


26 


A PRAYER 

We’ll try to render thanks to Thee, 

O Lord, Thou Lord of Grace, 

If Thou wilt give to us a rain 
To water every place. 

Thy providential dealings. Lord, 

The tokens of Thy love, 

Declare that Thou art on Thy throne, 
Thy righteousness to prove. 

The rain has come, and, gracious, Lord, 
We beg for grace from Thee, 

That we, in spirit and in truth, 

May render thanks to Thee. 

Oh, help us always worship Thee, 

And look to Thee as KING; 

For Thou art Master everywhere, 

And perfect blessings bring. 


EVEN ON THE EARTH 

O FATHER, draw me close to Thee, 
TO THEE, for Thou art GREAT, 
For Thou art holy, infinite, 

And on Thee would I wait, 

In all Thy providences trust. 

Thy mercies all implore, 

For Thou art KING OF ALL THE 
EARTH, 

And none can Thee ignore. 

And give me visions, Lord, of Thee 
That I may know Thy ways, 

That I may love, and honor Thee, 
And always utter praise, 

That I may always worship Thee 
And look to Thee as King; 

Oh, help me walk Thy holy ways; 

Thy NAME, oh, let me sing. 

27 



A PRAYER 


I need Thee so, Almighty God, 

Myself, I cannot reach Thee. 

O give me of Thy Spirit 
To lead me, I beseech Thee; 

That I may know in holy truth 
That Thou art leading me; 

That holy inspirations 
Can come from only Thee. 

Thy grace attending always, 

Thy providences true, 

So great in every time of need, 

Can show me what to do, 

For Thou art always on Thy throne; 
And perfect are thy ways; 

Thy love an everlasting love 
For every soul that prays. 

O manifest Thyself, dear Lord, 

For Thou art everywhere; 

And thou canst speak to us, dear Lord, 
And give us ears to hear; 

O Father, do with us Thy will; 

In beauty lift us high 
In realms of glory, and of truth, 

And love that cannot die. 


28 


A PRAYER 


O Father, let me praise Thy name 
Although I dwell in shame. 

Oh, let me, though I’m full of sin, 
To call upon Thy name; 

Although my works are only vile, 
Although my station low; 

I want to worship only Thee, 

I want Thy love to know. 

And when temptation all surrounds 
And drags my body down; 

When I am full of miseries, 

And only feel Thy frown; 

Although I feel Thy cold rebuke, 
Mine overwhelming woe, 

I want Thy holy presence, Lord, 

I want Thy love to know. 

Thy peace, O Lord, is sweeter far 
Than all the sweetest pay 
That all the sinful flesh can give 
Or offer any day. 

Thy love so grand and glorious, 

Thy presence is so sweet; 

I long, O Lord, to bow before 
And worship at Thy feet. 

I want Thy holy presence, Lord, 

O let me see thy face. 

Thy countenance forgiving. 

My sins to all erase. 

O give me strength, Almighty God, 
To walk with Thee in peace; 

Oh, draw me close to Thee in truth; 
And let my faith increase. 


29 


PRAYER 


We would not cease, Almighty God, 

To come to Thee to pray. 

But, recognizing all our lack, 

We’d beg of Thee alway; 

And meditating on Thy name, 

And studying Thy word, 

We’d come into Thy presence oft, 

And call upon our Lord. 

We’d enter, Lord, into Thy courts, 

Thy sanctuary here, 

The place of worship only Thine, 

A refuge very dear; 

And there, O Lord, we’d learn of Thee 
Of shepherds called of Thee, 
Expounding in Thy work of truth, 

And taught, O Lord, of Thee. 

And oft into a secret place, 

Where none but Thou canst hear, 

And there we’d beg Thee: do Thy will 
With us from year to year; 

And though we suffer in Thy name, 

The Savior suffered more. 

Our hope is: there to live with him 
On Heaven’s holy shore. 


30 


I WOULD BE THINE 


O Father, let me not rebel; 

A soldier let me be, 

A faithful soldier bold and strong 
Who tries to walk with Thee; 

A valiant soldier always there 
With courage, fortitude; 

Who loves the Master, even God 
In faith not understood. 

But fighting not a fellow man 
In jealousy or hate; 

But in the realm of truth and right, 

In holy, high estate 

But weild my powers in Thy name, 

And labor not in vain; 

For in thy work is nothing lost, 

But everything to gain. 

To fight my weaknesses; gather strength 
In all that’s good and true; 

To cultivate within my life, 

With little void ado, 

A holy aim in righteousness 
With God my only guide; 

And trusting that His holy grace 
May in my life abide. 


31 


A PRAYER 


Put gladness in my heart, O Lord, 

And let my soul rejoice; 

Oh, let me long for only Thee; 

Thy presence be my choice; 

The world and all is nothing 
When to Thy peace compared; 

Oh, Manifest Thyself to me, 
ALMIGHTY HOLY LORD. 

O speak to me, Almighty God, 

In tenderness today 

That fear and all despondency 

Be driven far away. 

That holy love and light and truth 
May come into my soul, 

That I may speak aloud Thy praise 
Thy greatness to extol. 

Oh let me love Thy holy name; 

And worship only Thee; 

And magnify within my heart 
The ONE who made me free; 

Oh, lead me now to rest in Thee 
Thy goodness to confess; 

Oh, put Thine arms around me, Lord, 
To own me and to bless. 

For Thou art all my soul’s desire; 

My only perfect friend; 

In all my trials small or great 
Thy testimony send; 

That I may see beyond my tears 
To mansions in the skies 
Where death and evils cannot come 
And glory never dies. 


32 


A PRAYER 


Wouldst thou, O Lord, in truth confirm 
The shadows I have seen— 

The shining lights of beauty 
That come to me so clean— 

The bursting forth, the blooming 
Of treasures in my soul, 

As truth and love that comes from Thee 
That I might well extol. 

Wouldst thou, O Lord, in love reveal 
Thy presence in my heart, 

Let vain imaginations 
In all my life depart; 

But be Thou always reigning there 
Thy grace, Thy love to show; 

Thy beauties there adorning 
My efforts here below. 

I would not wander, Lord, away, 

I’d love to walk with Thee; 

Like Enoch in the days of old, 

Ld love to walk with Thee; 

And make me willing, Mighty God, 

To suffer in Thy name; 

And nothing care in any sense 
For dying earthly fame. 

Submitting, Lord, in tenderness, 

And all humility 

To all thy dealings great or small, 

Yet trying constantly; 

For thou art King of all the earth; 

Canst curse; or bless and keep; 

And nowhere can we hide from Thee 
In wilderness or deep. 


33 


And let me utter humble praise 
To Thee from day to day; 

And keep Thou, Lord, my erring feet, 
And help me love Thy way; 

And show me, Lord, from time to time, 
In all that pleaseth Thee, 

The great triumphant glory 
Of HIM who died for me. 


A PRAYER 

O Lord of Heaven and of earth, 

Thy name would we adore; 

Thy praises would we render now, 
And draw upon Thy store. 

We’d magnify Thy holy name; 

Thy presence would we seek; 
Although our frames are only dust. 
And altogether weak. 

Thy Spirit, Lord, is wonderful 
That gave us holy birth, 

That leads us onward day by day 
Upon the sinful earth; 

And leads us here to utter praise 
To Thee, Eternal King; 

That teaches us to look to Thee, 

And adoration sing. 


34 



PRAYER; MEDITATION 


I would not trust myself, Dear Lord; 
Ed always look to thee; 

My life is nothing; all is vile; 

Till death it thus shall be; 

My mortal body as it is 
To Heaven cannot rise, 

But Thou wilt raise it from the earth, 
And take it to the skies. 

For after death, the sleep of death. 

The flesh will live anew, 

When it from weakness and sin 
Forever bids adieu, 

To be an heir, joint heir with Christ, 
To glory out beyond, 

Where comes no sin, or woe, or death, 
Where souls will not despond. 

And all is beauty, love, and praise. 
Eternal glory there; 

For all the riches of the earth 
With Heaven can’t compare; 

The worthiness of Jesus Christ, 

His holiness and love, 

His perfect peace up there awaits 
In Paradise above. 


35 


PRAYER 


Reveal thyself, Almighty God, 

In dealings sweet and tender. 
That I may know thy presence, 
And make complete surrender; 
That I may feel thy mercies more; 
To others may confess 
Thy providences all in truth, 

And loving tenderness. 

That I thy holy peace may know, 
Thy dealings understand, 

That I thy holiness may see, 

And do thy pure command; 

In great humility may love 
To walk thy holy way; 

And always may be willing 
My vows to thee to pay. 


ONLY THEE 

To whom can we go, Almighty God? 
To none, to none but Thee; 
Depraved, enslaved we’re all undone 
With nowhere else to flee; 

But with thy great, sufficient love, 

Thy providential care; 

Thine omnipresent watchfulness, 
There’s naught for us to fear. 

Thy grace is all sufficient, Lord, 

To guide us, and to keep; 

And only when we disobey, 

In sorrow must we weep; 

But in Thy great unchanging love 
There’s safety, all in Thee; 

To whom can we go, Almighty God? 
To none, to none but Thee. 


36 



MEDITATION AND PRAYER 


Although my flesh may drag me down 
In shame into the dust, 

My faith is in my risen Lord, 

Myself I do not trust; 

Although my soul so much desponds 
Because I live in shame, 

My Lord commands me: every day 
To call upon his name. 

Although my life is full of sin,— 

In weakness here I dwell, 

My Savior bought me with a love 
That mortals cannot tell; 

My prayer is for his presence sweet 
To fill me with his fire; 

Eternal love and holiness 
In him is my desire. 

My victory is all in Him, 

And nothing can I claim; 

I want his guidance always; 

To serve him is my aim; 

And when the devil tempts me sore, 

And I begin to yield, 

O come, dear Lord, to rescue me, 

And drive him far afield. 

For thou art all my soul’s desire; 

My love is all in thee, 

Thou Rose of Sharon, Prince of Peace, 
Who gave thy life for me; 

O help me, Lord, to walk with thee, 
Thy love, thy joys to know, 

O take me now into thine arms, 

Thy peace, O Lord, bestow. 


37 


PRAYER 


Oh, for thy love, Almighty God, 
Thy presence manifest; 

How sweet to sit within thy courts 
Partaking of thy rest! 

Oh, for thy holy sweetness, 

A foretaste of thy peace, 

A foretaste of thy glory 
That cannot fade, or cease. 

In ecstasy oh lift me high 
Into the realms of light 
That I may utter holy praise 
In humble, pure delight; 

Unhidden here before my face, 

O Father, let me see 

Some beauty I shall see beyond 

In all eternity. 

Oh, lead me not, Almighty God, 

To ever ask amiss; 

But, Lord, O Lord, I humbly beg 
A foretaste of thy bliss 
Transfigured here before my face 
Some object of thy love 
Transformed in glory on the earth 
As it shall be above. 


38 


PRAYER AND ADORATION 


I beg thee, Lord, that thou wilt speak 
Unto my soul, for I am weak; 

I’m only dust; so much I fear; 

Almost I doubt that thou art near; 

But everything that’s good and pure 
Has come from thee, and will endure; 
The works of man are low and vile, 
There’s naught in them that’s worth the 
while. 

The way is dark; we dwell in night; 

We beg thy love to send us light; 

We’ve felt thy love in days gone by, 

And even now we want thee nigh; 
Undone and lost thy peace without. 

We beg thee come remove the doubt 
We beg thy presence manifest 
That we may work, and do our best. 

We beg thy peace that we may rest. 

That we may know that we are blest; 
We beg thy grace to lift us high 
In holy truth; thou canst not lie; 

May angels true from Heaven’s gate 
Come lead us in the pathway straight; 
We know, O Lord, thy strength we need; 
Without thy love, sow evil seed. 

But when this fleeting life is o’er, 

On earth to walk in sin no more, 

With sorrows all forever past. 

The devils all to hell are cast, 

We’ll spend ten million years with thee, 
Ten million more with all the free. 
With all thy host, the TRINITY, 

Thy saints shall spend ETERNITY. 


39 


So don’t tell me that God is not, 

Or that his own he has forgot, 

Or that his peace he doesn’t send; 

He loves his own; he is their friend; 
He watches them, prepares their path; 
He everywhere all power hath; 

All hell his power can’t annul; 

He is complete; and never dull. 

His strength is mine; I dwell in him; 
And when my faith is weak or dim, 
That is because in fallen clay 
I dwell on earth, can’t get away; 

I want his peace; in him to hide; 

To always in his love abide; 

I know in him I’ll be complete, 

So I must worship at His feet. 


SUBMISSION 

Have Thy way, Almighty Father, 
In Thine own consummate skill, 
As Thou hast in all the ages 
Even now Thy word fulfill, 

Even always Thou art perfect, 
Thou art holy; all is Thine; 

Let Thy people now and always 
In Thy righteousness recline. 

Help us seek to walk in wisdom, 
Wisdom that is Thine alone, 

In Thy holy truth enshrouded, 
Coming even from Thy throne. 
Looking always, Holy Father, 
Unto Thee for love and light, 
Trusting even now and always 
In Thy holy, hidden might. 

40 



PRAYER 


O Lord, we’d always pray to Thee, 
Adore Thy Holy Name, 

Discuss with loved ones day by day 
Thy great undying fame. 

And in our little earthly realm 
We’d seek Thy holy face, 

Do every day a noble work, 

And fill a goodly place. 

We’d always do Thy Holy Will 
So perfect never erring, 

We’d walk in truth, in Thee, in Thee, 
Thy wisdom all preferring. 

We would not trust our powers void, 
We know they’re only vile, 

We’d look to Thee, then try to do 
Just something worth the while. 

We, though we do the best we can, 

Are full of mean ambitions; 

We worship money, power vile, 

Or baser, wrong positions. 

For often we are very full 
Of sinful earthly hope, 

So much we walk in Satan’s lead, 

In darkness then we grope. 

And so we beg Thee see our tears, 

Give wisdom from Thy Throne 
To guide us on our earthly roads; 

Oh, guard Thy saints thine own; 
Protect us, O Thou Mighty God 
From wrong and evil passions, 

Fill us with love and give us peace, 
Correct the wrong impressions. 


41 


Help us adore Thy name so sweet. 
To understand Thy dealing; 

Oh, give us knowledge of Thy love 
Through medium of feeling. 

We’d know Thy presence every day. 
We’d feel thine angels near, 

We’d magnify Thy name on earth, 
And never know a fear. 


MY HEART PANTETH FOR THEE 

I long for Thee, Almighty God, 

To know Thy perfect love; 

I long to feel Thy presence 
Thy faithfulness to prove; 

To know Thee in Thy mercy, 

Thy great unerring hand; 

I long to see the glory 
That shall forever stand. 

For holy, sweet communion, 

A unity with Thee, 

Rejoicing, still rejoicing 
To be as one with Thee; 

And walking in Thy precepts, 
Abiding in Thy peace, 

I long, O Lord, to walk with Thee 
Before my own decease. 

To always try to do my best 
To have the Spirit reign; 

To make my erring body 
From evil all abstain; 

To try to cultivate the faith 
That comes alone from thee; 

To daily bear the holy cross 
That Jesus bore for me. 

42 



PRAYER AND PRAISE 


Lift me, Lord, oh, lift me higher 
In the realms of truth and light; 
Keep us in the path of duty, 

Ever on the side of right. 

Keep us ever plodding onward 
Toward the goal so pure and high, 
Looking forward to the glory 
And the love that cannot die. 

Guide us; keep us by Thy Spirit 
From the dangers all around; 

May we often by Thy presence 
Stand upon a Holy Ground. 

May we, like the prophet Moses, 
Follow Thee the best we can; 

Help us well control the fleshly, 
And obey the inner man. 

By the presence of the angels 
May we always think of Thee; 

May we well obey the precepts 
Of the ONE who made us free. 

May the angels stand around us 
Near enough we feel their touch, 
For their sweet and holy presence 
Makes us want to praise Thee much. 

When the sin and sorrow earthly, 
All the woe is left behind; 

When were risen with the Savior; 
When we have a holy mind; 

Then in peace and truth we’ll praise 
Thee 

On the bright Eternal Shore, 

In the love of our Redeemer 
(Oh, how sweet) forevermore. 


43 


A PRAYER 


Oh, put away my doubts, dear Lord, 
And help me trust in Thee; 

Help Thou, O Lord, mine unbelief, 
Oh, come and strengthen me; 

My frame is now afflicted, 

My soul is burdened so, 

My way is long and weary, 

I wander to and fro. 

I dwell in gloom and darkness, 

And cannot find my way; 

And evil ever present; 

So little can I pray; 

Art Thou away forever? 

Oh, come and love me still. 

But let me suffer on and on 
If ’tis the Master’s will. 

My Father is the potter; 

And I am but the clay; 

Oh, make me always willing 
For Thee to have Thy way; 

And help me, Lord, oh, help me 
To feel that I am Thine, 

And give me of Thy Spirit 
That I may not repine. 

My way is never wearisome 
When Thou art manifest; 

Oh, Thou art fully able 
To always stand the test; 

Thy power conquers Satan, 

Oh, Thou canst make him flee; 

If ’tis thy will, oh, quickly come 
To love and comfort me. 


44 


PRAYER FOR THE BEREAVED 


Reveal Thy love, O Lord, we beg 
In measure only Thine 
To everyone who sorrows, 

And all who may repine, 

The poor, the brokenhearted 
Whose way is through the night, 

Who sorrow in a tragic loss 
That banishes the light. 

Reveal Thyself in beauty there, 

And let Thy light to shine, 

And though the sorrow lingers, 

The mystery refine; 

Let not the faith to falter, 

But be it magnified, 

And may we look unto the cross, 

And Him who for us died. 

Oh, hear us though the soul must mourn, 
And help us understand, 

For Thou in holy wisdom 
Wilt do as Thou hast planned; 

Though none can know Thy holy ways, 
Thy wisdom is supreme. 

It goes beyond the highest hope 
Or yet a fonder dream. 

We beg Thee, O Almighty God, 

To draw us close to Thee, 

And let us know the Spirit 
That speaks to us of Thee; 

Infold us in Thy loving arms; 

Thy mercy let us know; 

Oh, be Thou very near to us 
Thy blessings to bestow. 


45 


A PRAYER 


I would not cast Thy love away 
That richly Thou bestowed, 

That love that nailed Thee to the cross 
To pay the debt we owed; 

That put aside the glory there 
With God upon His Throne 
And went into Thy suffering 
To cleanse and save Thine own. 

I would not cast Thy love away 
And crucify again 
My Savior who has died for me 
To save me from my sin; 

Who intercedes for me today, 

Who sees my every tear, 

Who knows my every weakness and 
Alleviates my fear. 

I would not cast Thy love away, 

But, O THOU, purify 
Myself of all infirmities 
Thy love to justify; 

And let me know, O Lord of Hosts, 

That Thou art still my guide. 

For I would know Thy presence, 

And in Thy faith abide. 


46 


A PRAYER 

O THOU HOLY GREAT I AM, 
JEHOVAH, EVERYWHERE, 

Into thy hands I put my soul, 

With every weight of care; 

Thy grace is all-sufficient, Lord, 
And perfect are thy ways; 

Thy name, in Heaven and in earth, 
Demands a holy praise. 

O give me strength, Almighty God, 
And holy light in thee, 

Enough that I may do thy will, 

And walk with only thee, 

Enough that I may praise thy name, 
O GREAT ETERNAL KING; 
Exalted, Thou, within my heart, 
Thy NAME oh let me sing. 


WE NEED IT; WE HAVE IT 
WHAT IS IT? GOD S GRACE 

MOST HOLY KING in all the earth, 
We need Thy grace so much; 

We need Thy presence always; 

We need Thy holy touch; 

We need Thine everlasting love 
In penitence to claim; 

We need to look alone to Thee 
To call upon Thy name. 

So often we are down so low 
We do not look to Thee; 

So often we but walk in sin 
In walking not with Thee; 

But Thou wilt bless our efforts, 

And help us cry to Thee, 

For Thou art perfect, Thou alone 
Canst come and comfort me. 


47 



IT ALL BELONGS TO THEE 


O Father, help me trust in Thee, 
And look toward Thy throne; 

For we are only finite, 

And cannot stand alone; 

For we are only fallen dust, 

My ways are all impure; 

My efforts often futile, 

My way is never sure. 

In self is nothing to desire; 

O Lord, abide in me, 

And take me home to Heaven, 

To there abide in Thee 

Where I can render perfect praise, 

Can worship at Thy throne; 

And help me know that on the earth 
My life is not my own. 

My body and my spirit both, 

They both belong to Thee, 

And so I have no right to err, 

My life belongs to Thee; 

So help me, though I’m weakly, 

To render praise to Thee, 

For all my efforts, everything, 

It all belongs to Thee. 


PRAYER 

O Thou Almighty Lord of Hosts, 

I beg thy presence sweet 
To shield me from the unseen foe 
That I so often meet, 

For he is all deception, 

And all his work is void, 

But when Thy power drives him off, 
Then I am overjoyed. 

48 



INTO THINE ARMS 


Into Thine arms, Almighty God, 

Into Thine arms tonight, 

That I may know Thy beauty, Lord, 
My only pure delight. 

That I may taste Thy holiness, 

And feel Thy sovereign will, 

That I may view Thy loveliness, 

And even there be still. 

That I may look into Thy face, 

Thy countenance of love 
So sweet, and so forgiving, 

Thy righteousness to prove. 

That I in peace may nestle there 
From ALL my trials free, 

That I may rest with Thee, O Lord, 
That I may rest with Thee. 

That I may praise Thy holy name 
In spirit and in truth, 

And feeling every promise there 
Of sweet immortal youth. 

That I may worship only there 
Thy Being, only Thee, 

And know that Thine, beyond these 
tears, 

Shall rest with Thine and Thee. 


49 


A PRAYER 


ALWAYS, O Lord, abide with me 
To keep my erring feet; 

To keep me in humility 
Around the mercy seat; 

To keep my erring, wayward mind; 
My soul from dire despair; 

I beg Thee now, O Lord of Hosts, 

In mercy hear my prayer. 

And help me now to walk with Thee; 
To know Thy Spirit’s urge; 

To know Thy Spirit’s unction 
When throes around me surge; 

For always I am prone to err, 

To follow Satan’s lead; 

Oh, give Thy Spirit’s guidance 
In every thought and deed. 

Oh, help me in my weaknesses 
To know Thy guiding hand; 

To know Thy grace is with me 
In heeding Thy command; 

And when the tempter speaks to me, 

Oh, help me recognize 

His ways, and His deceptions; 

And in Thy love arise. 


50 


MORE LIKE THEE 


More like Thee, Almighty Savior, 
In my body more like Thee; 

In my life and my behavior 
Make me more and more like Thee: 
In humility, and wisdom, 

Far away from wanton pride, 

Far from low untruth and evil, 

Let me in the faith abide. 

More like Thee, Almighty Savior, 

I am so unholy still; 

I am weak and all unworthy; 

Let Thy light my soul to fill; 

Help me love Thy holy teachings; 
Help me sacrifice for thee; 

Though in suffering, and sorrow. 
Make me more in love like Thee. 


CLOSE TO THEE 

CLOSE TO THEE, ALMIGHTY 
GOD, 

Oh, draw me close to Thee; 

And though I walk in slush and mud, 
Oh, bring me close to Thee; 

There’s nothing in my hand to bring; 
Then to my Savior let me cling; 

And even now His praises sing; 

Oh, draw me close to Thee. 

Oh, let me in Thy love abide 
In walking close to Thee; 

And when the many storms betide, 
Then bring me close to Thee; 

Oh, cast away my fears and doubt, 
And let me ring thy praises out; 

And many loud hosannas shout, 

And all for Thee, for Thee. 


51 



PRAYER 


O give me faith, Almighty God 
In burdens and in grief; 

A faith that will not let me down, 

That brings a great relief; 

A faith that will not let me go, 

But helps me in my cares; 

A faith that brings me close to Thee 
Away from Satan’s snares. 

A faith that shines more bright and clear 
When evil Satan’s own 
So tries to pull my soul away 
From near Thy Holy Throne. 

A faith that I may lean upon 
When all the world is wrong; 

That puts within my weary soul 
A wondrous, holy song. 

A faith that sweetens every task; 

That leans upon Thy love; 

That clears away the clouds and gloom 
Thy faithfulness to prove. 

A faith that looks alone to Thee, 

Myself to never trust; 

A faith without the which, I know. 

I’m only fallen dust. 


52 


ALL FULLNESS 


Oh, let me see Thy wisdom, Lord, 
And let me stand in awe 
Before Thy wondrous work sublime 
Containing not a flaw; 

Oh, let me view Thy majesty, 

And understanding more, 

Oh, let me come into Thy courts, 
And all Thy ways adore. 

Oh, let me come before Thy throne, 
Submitting humbly, well 
To everything in every way 
And praises humbly tell; 

For in Thy way perfection is, 

And all Thy way is truth; 

Though every man is full of fault, 
And all His way uncouth. 

Though every man is wandering 
In error and in sin; 

Or into low rebellion 
Where all the woes begin, 

THE LORD is still the Holy King 
IN HOLINESS SUBLIME; 

In every way His righteousness 
Will stand the test of time. 


53 


INJUSTICES WILL BE DEFEATED 

O open up my blinded eyes. 

Dear Father, let me see; 

O let me know that Thou art King 
In all eternity. 

That though the wanton hand of sin 
At wretchedness can laugh, 

Thy holy justice separates 
The worthy from the chaff. 

Thy love is infinitely pure; 

Thy dealings all are just; 

Thy providence is tender to 
The humble, fallen dust. 

Thy holy wisdom knoweth all; 
Omnipotent Thy hand, 

For even devils must obey 
Thine every high demand. 

I know Thy way will triumph; 

Thy work will be complete; 

And every evil everywhere 
Will suffer its defeat. 

And all injustices of men 
Will find a place in hell; 

And all wh<? love will know a love 
That mortals cannot tell. 


54 


PRAYER 


’Tis not for power that I ask, 

Nor yet ambition’s will, 

But I would ask humility 
My heart, O Lord, to fill, 

They presence and its wisdom, 
Thy grace and strength to keep, 
Thy loveliness to worship here, 
Thy peace that I may weep. 

Thy love, O Lord, to fill my soul, 
A faith that looks to Thee, 

Thy truth in simple fullness, 

Thy gospel to the free, 

Thy providences all to guide, 
And ears to hear Thy voice, 

Thy love to be my treasure, 

And THEE to be my choice. 


PRAYER 

Not blessings that I ask, O Lord, 
But blessings that I need; 

Not ways of mine own choosing, 
But guidance Thine I plead. 

Not worship of the doings 
Of mine unholy hands; 

But faith in Thine own power, 
And Thine own holy plans. 

No incense must I burn to Baal 
Or offering to make, 

Lest I should feel Thy holy wrath 
Or vengeance Thine partake; 

But let me worship only Thee; 
And let me render praise 
For all Thy wondrous holiness. 
And all Thy perfect ways. 

55 



PRAYER AND PRAISE 

O Father, let me pass away; 

Now let me fade in death. 

Oh, let me go into my grave 
Beyond my fleeting breath. 

Where disappointments cannot be; 
And sorrows are no more; 

To sleep the calm and perfect sleep; 
With those who were before. 

To walk no more the sands of time 
In sorrow in the years; 

And heeding not the passing days; 
And dwelling not in fears. 

But living in Eternity 
In everlasting peace; 

Where sin cannot beset us; 

Or living beauty cease. 

To there adore Thee perfectly, 
Where death can never be; 

Where we shall worship always 
The Lamb of God and Thee; 

In ecstasy forever. 

Beyond the weight of time; 

In righteousness and holiness, 

And beauty all sublime. 

And in the New Jerusalem 
Thy glories to behold; 

Where nothing can molest us; 

Upon the streets of gold. 

To love in all Eternity; 

And praises there to sing 
Unto the One Redeemer 
The Risen Lord The King. 


56 


PRAYER 


O, let me write in beauty, Lord, 

The humble words of praise, 

The thoughts concerning wisdom, 

And of Thy wondrous ways. 

In splendor like the morning star, 

In glory like the dawn, 

In loveliness I cannot know 
Till God shall claim is own. 

With vision quite beyond my ken, 

That here no mortal knows, 

In light alone from Heaven 
That God alone bestows; 

In faith where, understanding not, 

I work in Thee alone, 

Within that love and holiness 
Proceeding from Thy throne. 

And in a true devotion 
Beyond my sinful realm; 

That all my brethren may know 
That Thou art at the helm. 

That Thou dost yet proclaim Thy ways 
Though none may understand; 

For Thou in Thy perfection 
Wilt do as Thou hast planned. 

And let me not exalt myself, 

For I am but a worm; 

Yes, I am but a sinner 
Abiding in the storm. 

Upheld by Thee; and Thee alone; 

(If only I am thine, 

And if a place in Heaven 
Will finally be mine) . 


57 


A portion of the Spirit, Lord, 
I always need of Thee 
A small and humble foretaste 
Abounding in but Thee; 
Exalting in humility 
My Savior and my KING, 
For ’tis the soul of my desire 
His praises here to sing. 


PRAYER 

ALMIGHTY GOD, in love and fear— 
And sometimes too in deep despair, 

Thy holy presence would we seek, 

For we are altogether weak; 

Thy name is great; but we are dust; 

So let us not ourselves to trust, 

But let us always look to Thee; 

And trust in Thee; yes, only Thee. 

For Thou art altogether wise, 

THE RULER of the earth and skies; 
And Thou art lovely, holy, just; 

None other should the people trust. 
And thine the kingdom; all is Thine; 
Let not my love for Thee repine; 

But let me always look to Thee; 

And trust in Thee; Yes, only Thee. 


58 



THE TRUE PEACE 


Oh, for that peace, Almighty God, 
That passeth understanding, 

That holy, great, eternal peace, 

The Spirit there commanding; 

That great submission to His will, 
That leaves it all to HIM; 

Where is no fear in trouble. 

Where light is never dim. 

Where we can know His presence; 

Can have no doubt nor fear; 

Can trust implicitly; and know 
That HE is always near; 

Can feel that always we shall be 
Within those blessed arms; 

Where Satan never can again 
Engulf in great alarms. 

Where we can know that after while 
The Light will come to stay. 

That Christ the Lord will come again 
Who put our guilt away; 

Where we will sing with angels true 
The Song of Victory; 

And live in His perfection there, 

In all eternity. 


59 


PRAYER 


We beg for strength, O Lord of Hosts, 
To walk alone with Thee, 

For holy grace to shield us 
From all that hinders me; 

For strength to do Thy holy will 
In all Thy voice hath said 
Though many things may urge to do 
So many things instead. 

I’d rather have Thy presence 
Than all the earthly gold, 

For in Thy Holy Spirit 
Is wealth and strength untold; 

Thy love is everlasting; 

Eternal is Thy peace; 

Though many thorns beset me. 

Oh, let my faith increase. 

Oh, speak, dear Lord, in triumph, 
And let my soul to hear; 

Exalt us in humility 
To drive away my fear; 

Oh, draw me close to Thee, dear God, 
And let Thy light to shine, 

That we may praise Thy holy name, 
And never more repine. 


60 


PRAYER 


My life, O Lord, is nothing; 

My flesh is all depraved; 

My ways are only sinful; 

Almost am I enslaved. 

But Thou, O Lord, canst strengthen me, 
And make me unafraid; 

Thy sacrifice was made for me, 

My debt is fully paid. 

Wilt Thou, O Lord, but give me faith 
To trust, yes, trust in Thee, 

In Thee the One who ever loves, 

And always shelters me; 

The One who satisfies my soul, 

And brings me from despair, 

Who drives the adversary far, 

And puts me trusting there? 

But give me faith, Almighty God, 

To trust in Thee alone, 

For Thou art perfect, infinite; 

Thy life is in Thine own; 

And Thou art their security, 

Their hope and only stay, 

Who succors them in sorrow, 

And hears them when they pray. 

Who knows our all infirmities, 

That we are only dust, 

Who knows how weakly is my frame, 

But makes my soul to trust; 

Who keeps me when my efforts fail 
In everything below, 

When only misery is mine. 

When I but dwell in woe. 


61 


PRAYER 


Oh, help me, Lord, to walk above 
The low, the weak, the vile; 

To be an Israelite indeed 
In whom there is no guile; 

To rise above hypocrisy; 

Within the toil of love; 

To trust in great simplicity 
In Him who reigns above. 

To put aside the evil thoughts 
That lead to evil deeds; 

And by the grace of Christ the King 
To know when Satan leads, 
Discerning his intentions there 
To lead my life astray; 

But in the unction of the Lord 
To walk the perfect way. 

In not a show of empty words, 

But inwardly and real, 

And living outwardly in truth 
The holy things we feel; 

In beauty that we cannot know 
In fullness on the earth; 

That beauty that awaits beyond 
For those of holy birth. 


62 


OUT OF MYSELF 


For Thy mercy, Holy Father, 

For Thy mercy let me plead; 

For Thy holy, loving favor 
All unmerited indeed; 

I am weak and all unworthy, 
Nothing in my hand to bring; 

I am guilty, undeserving, 

To my works I cannot cling. 

I am nothing in my body, 

I but breathe a failing breath; 

In my life I merit nothing; 

In my flesh I’m only death; 

In myself I’m all diseases, 

And myself I cannot cure; 
Nothing in this erring body 
Of itself can long endure. 

Only in the THRONE of mercy 
Is there hope that we shall live; 
In that grace in Him abounding, 
Grace that he alone can give; 

For Thy peace, Almighty Father, 
For Thy peace, oh, let me pray, 
And for help, Almighty Father, 
Courage for the weary way. 

Oh, for light, the light celestial, 
Though it be a single beam; 

Just a holy light from Heaven 
As to Jacob in his dream; 

Light to shine upon my pathway, 
Just a taste of what will be 
In the glory of the Savior 
In the great eternity. 


63 


NO HOPE BUT THEE 


No hope but Thee, Almighty God, 

I have no hope but Thee; 

My waywardness deserves the rod, 

But let me hope in Thee; 

Thou suffered everything for me, 

The crown of thorns, and Calvary; 
And all my blessings come from Thee, 
From THEE; and only THEE. 

There’s nothing in my flesh but sin; 
There is no hope but Thee; 

In waywardness my woes begin, 

No hope, no hope but Thee; 

The flesh is only fallen dust; 

And, too, it suffers; die it must; 

But in Thy mercy let me trust; 

The all in all is Thee. 

In love, O Lord, remember me, 
Though nothing can I claim, 

There is, O Lord, no hope but Thee, 
My great Redeemer’s name; 

There is no hope but God alone, 

Who reigns himself upon HIS 
THRONE 

And in that mercy all His own, 

No hope, no hope but Thee. 


64 


COME, LORD JESUS 


O Come, Lord Jesus, quickly come, 

And purge the earth of sin; 

O come to bring Thy righteousness; 
Thine earthly reign begin; 

To bring Thy holiness, and peace; 

Thy great eternal love; 

And cause Thine own to see Thy face, 
Thy glory as above. 

That all thine own may cease to mourn 
Because of crime and war, 

And things so all unholy 
The holy saints abhor; 

To bring that great and holy day 
When death will cease to reign, 

To bring an end of everything 
So always low and vain. 

To bring the consummation; 

To do Thy holy will 
In power, in Thy perfect way 
Thy holy word fulfill. 

When all Thy great perfection 
Will never cease to be, 

When saints and angels praise Thee 
In all eternity. 


65 


IS IT SATAN? 


Is it Satan, Holy Father. 

Satan in a low disguise, 

Satan evil always tempting, 

In the worldly wisdom wise, 

Is it Satan so misleading 
Seeking now to pull me down, 
Seeking to allure me always, 

Satan in his low renown? 

Is it Satan, Holy Father, 

So deceitful every way 

That would lead me into error, 

Into evil every day? 

Oh, I beg Thee, Holy Father, 

Let me not to follow him, 

Give me always, Holy Father, 

Give me light that will not dim. 

Give me strength to do Thy bidding, 
Strength and comfort all from Thee, 
Give to me Thy Holy Spirit 
Now to help me walk with thee; 

I am weak, but thou art mighty; 

All sufficient is Thy grace, 

All sufficient is the Master 
Now to help me run my race. 

Let me trust in all HIS powers; 

He is King forevermore 
Interceding for His children 
Even now on Heaven’s shore; 

Let me trust in HIM mv Savior; 

He will keep me to the end, 

He is KING in earth and Heaven, 

He is able to defend. 


66 


SUPPLICATION 


I go to Thee, Almighty God, 

I cry to Thee in prayer, 
Imploring all Thy kindnesses, 
And begging Thee to hear; 

And begging for thy mercy, 

No righteousness to plead; 

I need the love of HIM who is 
My righteousness indeed. 

For I, O Lord, am nothing; 

And Satan is so strong; 

My flesh is heir to many ills; 

I suffer deep and long; 

I fly to Thee, O Lord of Hosts; 
There’s nowhere else to go; 

I want to feel Thy presence; 
Thy love I long to know. 


WHAT SHALL I RENDER? 

Oh, what wouldst Thou, Almighty God. 
That I shouldst do for Thee, 

Thou holy King of Righteousness, 
Whose love has rescued me; 

Whose peace abounds in all the earth, 
Whose ways not understood, 

Whose mercy to the sons of men, 

Must prove that Thou art good. 

Oh, what wouldst Thou that I shouldst 
do 

To give my love to Thee, 

A humble praise to render here 
To Thee, and only Thee. 

Exalting here Thy beauties well, 

Thy glories to proclaim, 

To spread abroad in all the earth 
Thy mighty, matchless name. 

67 



MY INSUFFICIENCY 


O Lord, my God, Almighty God, 
Jehovah, on the Throne, 

My strength is insufficient all; 

I cannot go alone; 

My life is vanity and sin; 

I wander all my days; 

I walk in folly and in shame; 

Thy name I do not praise. 

My doubts and fears annul my aims, 

I do not walk with Thee; 

I walk in evil, oh, the shame! 

And how it troubles me; 

I cannot walk with Thee alone 
When Satan tempts me sore, 

So help me, Lord, to walk with Thee 
And love Thee more and more. 

So come, dear Lord, when evils come, 
To guide me and to keep. 

When winds are strong, and waves are 
high 

In all the howling deep, 

For Thou art able always, Lord, 

To calm the raging sea; 

Oh, I am naught! But Thou art all! 

So, come, and rescue me. 


68 


THERE’S NONE BUT THEE 


There’s none to go to, Lord, but Thee, 
No other hand is sure; 

No other one is perfect; 

No other will endure. 

No other one is infinite, 

And only Thou art just; 

So in Thy holy goodness 
Forever let me trust. 

There’s none but Thee, Almighty God, 
The only safe retreat; 

For Thou in Heaven and in earth 
Can never know defeat. 

Thy sovereign will and holiness 
Eternally endures; 

Thy Sacrifice on Calvary 
Thy people all secures. 

There’s none but Thee, Almighty God, 
The glory all is Thine; 

And all that go into Thy courts 
Will never there repine. 

But praising there eternally 
In Heaven’s holy way— 

In love’s own sweet infinitude 
That cannot pass away. 

Thine own shall safely dwell with Thee 
In endless bliss and peace 
Where all the glory of the Lord 
Can never fade or cease— 

In beauty there that only Cod 
Bestows upon His own— 

The holy saints and angels 
Around the Holy Throne. 


69 


LONGING 


HOLY LONGING 

I sometimes long for perfect rest; 
My labors all to cease; 

To dwell within the holy realm; 
And from my woes release; 

To dwell in holiness entire; 

In peace surpassing all; 

With Christ, the Lord, my Master 
Where nothing can enthrall. 

With all the holy angels; 

In love forevermore; 

In holy joy eternal; 

On Heaven’s perfect shore. 

In holiness unending; 

A perfect praise to sing 
Unto the holy Trinity, 

And worship there my KING. 


70 







LOOKING FORWARD 


Oh, let me examine my title to peace 
By patiently suffering now; 

Whenever the Savior my load shall 
increase, 

Oh, lead me to pay every vow; 

For He is my refuge, and let me rejoice 
In Him as my Savior and King; 

I know in my bosom that he is my choice; 
I’m happy his praises to sing. 

I’m longing to enter the realms of delight 
Just over the shadowy tide, 

Where cometh no trouble, or sorrow, or 
night. 

But angels to stand at my side; 

Forever no regions of woe, or despair; 

But righteousness, holiness, joy; 
Enduring perfection forever to share. 

No evil to tempt or annoy. 

His loveliness perfect the prophets have 
spoken, 

His power forever supreme; 

Sufficient his action on Calvary taken 
Forever his own to redeem; 

All glory eternal to Jesus the Lord 
Who daily in love intercedes; 

How holy his promises, perfect his work, 
And beautiful all of his deeds. 

How perfectly beautiful all of his grace, 
How glorious all of his love; 

I long for his Spirit to keep me apace, 
And visions of Heaven above; 

I’m longing to enter the Haven of rest, 
And sing with the angels in peace, 
With Jesus the Savior, and all of the 
blest, 

Where loveliness never can cease. 

71 


LEAD ME ON 


Let me follow in the unctions 
Of the Spirit as I go; 

Let me not to do the biddings 
Of the one who works for woe; 

Of the one who is deception. 

Is the father of the lie; 

When we follow Satan’s leadings, 
All our faith will surely die. 

Let me follow in the teachings 
Of the mighty, risen Lord 
Who is author of the blessings 
Of the holy, written Word. 

He was sacrificed on Calvary 
For the sins of all His own; 

Now His majesty in Heaven 
Rules upon the Highest Throne. 

What a wondrous, holy Savior; 
Now exalted let Him be, 

For He ruleth all the Heavens 
Now and in eternity. 

Every power that is earthly 
Will obey His great commands; 
He fulfilled the every order 
That the righteous law demands. 

Oh, the beauty of my Savior! 

Half of it is not expressed; 

We shall all behold its fullness 
In the Land of Holy Rest. 

Oh, the praise that all is due Him, 
HIM the Highest King of Kings, 
Every fibre of my being 
Even now His praises sings. 


WISHING 


I want to do Jehovah’s will, 

The work that pleases Him, 

Within the truth of Heaven, 
Though oft my light is dim. 

I’d love to walk the lowly path 
That Enoch humbly trod; 

In love, and great devotion 
I want to walk with God. 

To do the will of Him who loves 
And always shelter me; 

The will of Him who suffered woe, 
And let His own go free. 

Who even died that we might live 
With Him in joy and peace; 

Yes, be with Him eternally 
Where glory will not cease. 


LONGING 

Oh, let me pass, and enter in 
The Place beyond where is no sin, 
Where woe is not, but all is peace, 
Where love and glory cannot cease, 
Where all is holy, perfect—pure 
And righteousness will all endure, 
Where more than all my hope is real, 
And where HIS PRESENCE I shall feel. 

For on the earth is sin and shame, 

And mortals trample on His name, 
Where walk we not with HIM alone 
Forget that HE is on the Throne; 

Oh, let me enter into rest 
Where angels and immortals blest 
Shall walk in light forevermore 
Upon that sweet Celestial Shore. 

73 



A SWEETNESS IN LIFE 


I love for the years to come and go, 

For each one brings me nearer 
To the end of my journey on earth 
below, 

And Heaven is always dearer; 

For the passing years each brings a rift 
And light to my sorrowing heart, 

And comfort to the soul on the sea adrift 
Where the storms and the calms are a 
part. 

I love for the years to come and go, 

For the passing of each is sweet, 

For the birth of the new is a hope to 
know 

As duties anew we greet; 

Where the commonest things no longer 
are old, 

Where the newness of each is a gift, 
Where the hope in the heart is a nugget 
of gold 

As onward and onward we drift. 


74 


LONGING SOUL 


I long for Thee, Almighty God, 
The sunshine of Thy love, 

Thy beauteous beatitudes, 

Thy mercies all to prove; 

Thy wondrous providences here 
In which Thou faileth not, 

Thy holy benedictions; 

Although the devils plot. 

For we are needy; we are weak; 
And undeserving sure; 

And we are always full of sin; 

So wantonly impure; 

So low, and so unworthy, 

So empty and so vain, 

In everything unmindful; 

So vile and full of pain. 

Thy love is always wonderful, 
Too beautiful to know, 

Too great to ever be expressed 
By mortals all so low; 

So come into my heart contrite 
Thy presence to proclaim, 

That I may know Thy Spirit 
And worship Thy dear name. 


75 


LONGING SOUL 


I wish my Lord would take me home; 
To Him I long to go; 

I wish to be away from sin, 

From error, and from woe; 

I long to be delivered now 
From waywardness and shame, 

To know His fullness evermore, 

To dwell within the same. 

I long to see the heavenly; 

The wonders of His love, 

The beauties of His holiness, 

The majesties above. 

The depths of holy truth entire 
Unknown to men below; 

The ways of perfect righteousness 
That holy angels know. 

I long to go to be with God 
Within the land of peace, 

To dwell in light forever there 
My sorrows all to cease; 

To praise the KING triumphant 
And worship at His throne, 

For HE is my salvation, 

Eternally my own. 


76 


ANXIOUS LONGING 


I long to lay my body down; 

On earth to be no more; 

My spirit longs to be with God 
In life forevermore, 

With all it means in holiness, 

In righteousness and peace. 
Where sin cannot beset us, 

Where glory cannot cease. 

I long to leave the world of sin; 
To cease to be a clod; 

To see the great perfection 
Eternally of God; 

To move into the realm of peace, 
The realm of perfect love 
To be with my Redeemer 
Who lives and reigns above. 


MY SPIRIT LONGS 

My spirit longs to be with God; 

I’m tired of all the earth, 

I’m tired of all my waywardness, 

The emptiness and mirth; 

So tired of all the sin and shame, 
Unrighteousness and wrong; 

I long to be in heaven 
And hear the angel song. 

I long to put aside the weight 
Of every mortal ill, 

And go into the happy state. 

And fully know His will; 

To go into the realms of peace, 

And holiness and love, 

Where perfect praise can never cease 
In blessedness above. 

77 



LONGING TO GO 

I long for THEE, ALMIGHTY GOD, 
I long to go to Thee; 

To leave this all uncertainty; 

To dwell with Thine and Thee; 

To be where evils cannot come, 

And sin no more is known, 

In Thee to know Thy fullness 
Before Thy Holy Throne. 

To view Thy wondrous majesty; 
Perfection that is thine; 

To see the light of Heaven there 
That evermore will shine; 

To see Thy wondrous loveliness; 

Thy holiness to know; 

The righteousness of all thine own; 

Oh, let me now to go. 


LONGING 

I often wish to leave the earth, 

The land of sin, and empty mirth, 
And enter then the land above, 

The land of peace and perfect love, 
The land of light, and holy truth, 
The land of sweet immortal youth. 
The land of glory yet unknown, 
And see my Lord upon His throne. 

To be with Saints and Angels there, 
The presence of my Lord to share. 
The land of perfect, holy day, 

And through eternity to stay, 

To know the Lord in all His ways, 
And render there a perfect praise, 
The loveliness of Christ behold, 
For on the earth ’tis still untold. 


78 



ASSURANCE 


My soul desireth righteousness; 
The body would but sin; 

Because the soul is born of God; 
The body is of men; 

The Lord is infinite in good; 
The soul would look to Him; 
But, oh, the flesh is wayward, 
And light becometh dim. 

The soul is beautiful, of God; 

It has no sin or shame, 

But often sorrows with the flesh, 
The weakly earthly frame, 

Its temporary dwelling place 
Before it goes to God, 

The flesh returning to the earth 
To sleep beneath the sod. 

And in the resurrection 
The body bids adieu 
To all its imperfections, 

For God will make it new; 

And they will dwell together 
With God in holy peace 
Where loveliness and holiness 
Can never fade or cease. 


79 


ANTICIPATION 


So much I long to go away, 

To be where sin is not; 

To go to HIM the one I love 
In whom there is no blot; 

For it is HE who keeps my soul, 
Who is my hope and stay, 

And Who is my perfection 
To be with Him alway. 

So much I long to go away, 

I’m tired of all my sin; 

I want to cease unrighteousness, 
Perfection to begin; 

For all my ways are weaknesses, 
My life is but a crime; 

I long to be in Heaven 
Where all is all sublime. 

I long to lay my body down 
So full of fault and sin; 
Beholding there the presence 
Of Him I feel within; 

To shout aloud a holy praise 
Unto the King of Kings 
My life and my salvation 
Whose Spirit in me sings. 


80 


PRAISE 


A SOVEREIGN 

JEHOVAH IS A SOVEREIGN, 
Wherever one may look 
’Tis written much more legibly 
Than in a printed book; 

The stars in all the vaulted sky, 
The planets and the sun, 

The moon in all its beauty 
Their perfect courses run. 

Precision in the motions all 
Of earth, the moon, the sun 
So plainly teaches everywhere 
That His commands are done; 

All nature in perfection 
In every wide domain 
Wherever one may cast His eye, 
Bespeaks Jehovah’s reign. 

No man can help or hinder Him; 
His any secret scan; 

In all the earth, and Heavens high 
He carries out His plan; 

Oh, listen to His perfect voice 
Within the raging storm, 

“My power cannot be restrained; 
A man is but a worm.” 


81 





PRAYER 


O take me Lord, into thine arms, 
And hold me gently there, 

Away from each besetting sin, 
And all besieging care, 

And let me sweetly rest with thee 
In perfect, holy peace, 

And feel the air of Paradise 
Where glory cannot cease; 

Into the bosom of thy love, 

And let me there behold 
Thy face in perfect glory, 

Thy beauty there untold, 

That I may utter humble praise 
And worship only thee; 

That I may render holy praise 
And worship only thee. 


ONLY ONE IS GREAT 

No man should be exalted, 

For only ONE is great; 

And He alone is infinite 
In holy, high estate. 

And only ONE is good and true. 
And always is He just; 

And He is MASTER everywhere. 
But man is only dust. 

No man should be exalted, 

For only ONE is wise; 

And He is KING in Heaven 
Where glory never dies. 

He rules within the hearts of men. 
And in the little clod; 

Jehovah is the King of ALL, 

And He is our God. 


82 



PRAISE 


The Lord is wonderful indeed. 

His ways we cannot know. 

His providences on the earth 
So many things bestow. 

The Lord is wonderful indeed, 

His beauty is supreme; 

And he, when sin is finished, 

Our bodies will redeem. 

The Lord is perfect everywhere; 
His laws are not annulled. 

His word is always holy truth; 

His prophecies, fulfilled; 

He knows the way of every man; 
He leads us where He will; 

And He can in the hearts of men 
His holy truth instill. 

His home is in the earth and skies; 
His loved ones all He keeps. 

He watches every wayward soul; 
And knows it when he weeps; 

He punishes for every sin 
With many kinds of woe; 

He knoweth all the hearts of men 
Upon the earth below. 

His throne is up in Paradise; 

His glory is not seen 

In all its fullness on the earth 

By mortals so unclean. 

But in the consummation sure 
When Christ shall claim his own, 
In glory we shall see Him there 
Upon the HOLY THRONE. 


83 


ADORATION 


The Lord is King of all the earth; 

His laws are perfect ever. 

His ways are holy everywhere, 

And are defeated never. 

His providences all surround 
His loved ones day by day. 

He knows their every little need, 

And hears them when they pray. 

He understands their sorrows all; 

He knows they’re only dust; 

He keeps their ever erring feet, 

And puts in them no trust. 

He knows they’re fallen; knows their sin 
He knows their every woe; 

But he commands the universe, 

And all things can bestow. 

And he is infinite in good, 

And infinitely just; 

And always worthy of our love 
And every perfect trust. 

He overcomes the wicked all; 

The good are all secure; 

His perfect love in Paradise 
Forever will endure. 


84 


ATONEMENT 


A holy justice infinite 
Is meted out to men, 

And there is no respect in God 
For all who walk in sin; 

We reap the penalties he made; 
And none can stay His hand; 

We suffer when we violate; 

Or with the wrong to stand. 

But also there is mercy 
That none can do without, 

For all have sinned; we dwell in sin, 
And often live in doubt; 

We follow after Satan; 

There’s none that doeth good; 

And sometimes in our nothingness 
We shed our brother’s blood. 

But in the death of Jesus Christ 
A holy justice came; 

He paid the debt His people owed 
Who worship in His name; 

He died to let His people live, 

Arose to justify; 

That all the true believers 
Forever should not die. 

But will be resurrected 
From out the lowly grave; 

Forever reunited to 
The life the Father gave; 

In all perfection then to dwell 
In peace forevermore 
With all the saints and angels there 
On Heaven’s perfect shore. 


85 


ADORATION; TRUTH 


How beautiful thy worship, Lord, 
How glorious thy shrine; 

How sweetly dost thou show thy face; 
When thou dost own me thine; 

O Father, let me praise thy name 
In great humility; 

Although my frame is only dust, 

I want to worship thee. 

For thou art Heaven’s holy King; 
And all the earth is thine; 

Thy love pervades the hearts of men; 
Thy work is superfine; 

Thy truth endures eternally; 

Thy power stands for aye; 

Thy love an everlasting love; 

And holy is thy way. 

Thy glory, Lord, can never dim; 
Perfection is in thee; 

And thou didst make the sacrifice 
Thy chosen ones to free; 

And all the saints are heirs of God; 
With Christ are heirs of love. 

Eternal blissful holiness 
In Paradise above. 


86 


ETERNAL LIFE 


Unspeakable the gift of God, 

Eternal life in love, 

A perfect life in holiness 
In Paradise above, 

In perfect light and wisdom, 

And perfect, holy joy, 

(It passeth understanding) 

Where nothing can annoy. 

There with thy Holy Spirit 
That gave us holy birth, 

That leads us onward day by day 
Upon the sinful earth; 

In ecstasy eternal, 

In perfect, holy day 
We’ll dwell with thee forever 
In thine own perfect way. 

With angels and the holy saints 
Where nothing groweth old; 

With Jesus Christ; THE FATHER 
In beauty there untold; 

In holy, matchless glory, 

In perfect, holy peace 
We’ll dwell with thee forever 
Where praises never cease. 


87 


HE KNOWS 


He knows our problems and our cares, 
He knows our struggles through the 
years, 

Our pains, our woes, the weary days, 
How tired we get of Satan’s ways. 

How tired of sin and mean temptation, 
How much we’d like a habitation 
Not steeped in error, envy, strife; 

How much we long for perfect life, 

He knows; He knows. 

He knows our secrets, and our hopes, 
How oft success from us elopes; 

How vain ambition in our minds 
Takes us to ruin; There it finds 
We’ve wasted all our precious years 
On useless things, and hence our fears; 
He always knows why we have failed, 
Just why our lives are all derailed; 

He knows; He knows. 

He knows our weakness, how we grope 
In darkness, there with little hope; 

He knows the hope within us dead, 

That he provides our daily bread. 

He often gives us heavy loads, 

And makes us tread the hardest roads, 
For punishment is often best; 

Before we’re tired, we can not rest. 

He knows; He knows. 

He knows it all; he answers prayer; 

His angels holy, always near, 

Will keep us when we know it not, 
When in temptation we’ve forgot; 

He keeps us when we do not know. 

His presence guards us where we go; 

88 


We’re safe in Him; His love can’t cease, 
We’ll live in great Eternal peace. 

He knows; He knows. 

We’ll praise the great and HOLY 
THREE, 

Poor sinners vile like you and me, 

But we’ll be changed, or raised from 
sleep, 

For God his saints will always keep. 

Our tears will all be wiped away, 

We’ll praise Him in eternal day; 

So let us suffer; don’t complain, 

And evil all we should disdain. 

He knows; He knows. 


JEHOVAH 

The great I AM is on His throne; 
Omnipotent he reigns; 
Omniscient; Omnipresent; 
Eternity explains; 

No counsel does he ask of men; 
His wisdom is complete; 

The purposes decreed in Him 
No power can defeat. 

His works are perfect, holy, just; 
And infinite his peace; 

His love an everlasting love; 

His glory cannot cease; 

And in the grace of Jesus Christ 
His own are all secure; 

Whose beauty up in Paradise 
Forever will endure. 


89 



A SOVEREIGN 


My Father is a sovereign, 

THE KING of all the earth, 

The HOLY King of righteousness, 

And glorious in worth; 

His will is holy always; 

And perfect are His ways; 

And all the earth, and Heavens are 
Resounding in His praise. 

His being is eternal; 

His beauty is supreme; 

His glory the PERFECTION of 
The CHRIST who did redeem. 

His love is ever lasting; 

And holy is the peace 
That passeth understanding 
In Him that cannot cease. 

HE RULES in every humble heart; 
JEHOVAH IS THE LORD: 

He keepeth by His spirit, 

’Tis written in His word; 

The holy ministrations 
Of grace forever His; 

THE PROOF that He is MASTER OF 
THE WORLD and all that is. 


90 


HE WORKETH ALL THINGS 


The Lord can make it come out right 
No matter what the trend; 

Whatever the condition, 

The Lord can fix the end; 

For all things work together 
For them that love the Lord 
For good in every age and clime; 

’Tis written in the word. 

For Christ the Lord is master of 
The world and all that is; 

The destiny of mortals 
In beauty who are His; 

For HE is King of righteousness 
In all entirety; 

Whatever is to us is best 
In all eternity. 

Then Hallowed be thy name, O Lord, 
Thy Kingdom come to earth; 

Thy will be done in everything 
In those of holy birth; 

And give us now our daily bread, 

Our trespasses forgive 

As we forgive our fellow man, 

That we may eat, and live; 

Into temptation lead us not, 

From evil save, and keep, 

For everything is thine in truth, 

And so in joy we weep. 


91 


ALL SUFFICIENT GRACE 


Thy grace alone, O Lord, can save; 
Thy word alone can stand; 

No man in all the mortal earth 
Can meet the law’s demand; 

For every man is weak indeed, 

And every one will err, 

For we are all conceived in sin; 

And sin we all prefer. 

The flesh at best is all corrupt; 

Itself it cannot save; 

It fails like Simon Peter 
To walk upon the wave; 

But lo! the Lord who rescued him 
When faith from him was gone 
The Mighty Prince of Life and Peace 
Can save, but He alone. 

And when the tempter leads us off 
And causes us to sin, 

The love of God is all that comes 
To brings us back again. 

For HE is rich in mercy; 

And infinite in love, 

And all His own will rest in HIM 
Eternally above. 


92 


SUBLIME PERFECTION 


I’m so glad the Lord in Heaven, 
Omnipresent in His might, 

Blesses every mercy given, 

And administers aright; 

That the blessed Lord of Glory 
Leaves no work of His undone; 
God the Father, Son, and Spirit 
Every victory hath won. 

Not a work of HIS is empty; 

Full of meaning; truth, and love, 
And it points to His perfection 
In the Paradise above; 

And perfection in His dealings 
Everywhere to all His own 
All bespeaking in His beauty 
Of His power in the throne. 

Oh, the providential graces 
In the every act of His 
All proclaiming all so richly 
HIM the Lord of all that is; 

In His glory all eternal 
Out beyond the sunset glow 
We shall know Him in perfection 
Dressed in garments white as snow. 

Then as holy as the angels, 

In His glory all sublime, 

Not compared to earthly treasures 
Here upon the sands of time; 

Yet unseen by mortal vision; 

We shall see Him as He is; 

In the glory of His kingdom; 

And the beauties that are His. 


93 


GOD S SOVEREIGNTY 


God reigns unseen upon the earth; 
So many times unknown; 

The King of Kings in every land; 
And always on the throne; 

His ways are all mysterious, 

Above the mortal ken; 

As high as Holy Heaven 
Above the ways of men. 

No man His glories here may know; 
Or any secret His; 

Although His beauties everywhere 
Alone declare He is; 

His holy voice is sometimes heard 
By inward hearing ears; 

And sometimes comes to drive away 
The morbid doubts and fears. 

And none monopolizes him, 

Or to His counsels go, 

For HE ALONE is sovereign; 

Alone can he bestow 
Whatever gift that pleases Him 
To poor benighted man; 

All things to man impossible 
Alone Himself He can. 

For mortal man is nothing; 

He breathes a failing breath; 

He knows no highness on the earth; 
His end is even death; 

And so let mortals everywhere 
Before HIM prostrate be, 

For HE ALONE is sovereign 
In all eternity. 


94 


RICHES OF GOD 


Behold how good and great is God! 
Who guides and keeps His own; 

Before their birth their lives to Him 
Are definitely known; 

For even then He knows the way 
Their feet shall humbly tread; 

And he will keep their lowly dust; 

And raise it from the dead. 

JEHOVAH is omnipotent; 

No mortal hinders him; 

For none can stay His mighty hand; 

Or make His light be dim; 

The cattle of a thousand hills 
Belong to Him alone; 

The beasts of all the earth are Thine, 

O Father, on Thy Throne. 

And Thou art beautiful we know; 

THY BEAUTY IS SUPREME; 

Thy way is perfect always 
In HIM who did redeem; 

Thy Spirit always holy 
Acquaints us with Thy love; 

And leads us always on to HIM 
Who lives and reigns above. 

And Thou wilt keep us to the end; 

We have no need to fear; 

Our prayers although not made of words 
Thy love will always hear; 

Thy glory none can utter; 

Or picture here with words; 

Thy peace is all unspeakable; 

The sweetest earth affords. 


95 


RECONCILIATION 


How great is God no mortal knows; 
No human comprehends; 

No earthly dust however great 
Himself to God commends; 

The two are separate, distinct; 

And one is only dust; 

The other holiness and love 
That holy angels trust. 

But there’s a link connecting, 

The sacrifice of love, 

The crucifixion of the King 
Who lives and reigns above; 

And when the consummation is, 
The restitution done, 

The earthly will be heavenly, 

The twain will be as one. 


THE KING 

The only great authority, 

The only that is true, 

The power that is final, 

And watching over you, 

The only that is infinite, 

Abiding in the sod, 

And over all the universe, 

Oh, only that is God. 

Authority is everywhere 
And power superfine 
Is power that is in your life; 

That power is divine; 

That Power that supports and keeps, 
Who knoweth all His own, 

Who ruleth in the realm of love 
Is KING on Heaven’s throne. 


96 



HIS KNOWLEDGE AND POWER 


There is a God of Heaven, 

The INFINITELY JUST 
Who rights all wrongs forever 
In all the humble dust. 

Who sees all evil, every good; 

Who knows the way of all; 

Who is himself perfection 
Where evil would enthrall. 

Who knows all suffering and care; 
The future and the past; 

Who knows the grave of every one; 
And every shadow cast. 

Who knows the heart of every man; 
And keeps the records true; 

HE is the king of all the earth; 

The God that Enoch knew. 

The God that nourished Moses 
And kept him as a child; 

That brought them out of Egypt; 
And on the nation smiled. 

Who gave the voice to Miriam; 

With words of holy praise, 

The song of holy triumph 
Bespeaking perfect ways. 

The God that kept Elijah; 

That guided David’s sling; 

That makes the destinies of men, 
The peasant and the king; 

So far above mortality 

That none can know His ways; 

Who lives in all eternity; 

That holy angels praise. 


97 


TREASURES ABOVE 


The world to me contains no charm; 
No treasures do I see; 

No riches on the earth exist 
That lure or beckon me. 

No honor from the hands of men 
Could make me to rejoice; 

My soul is looking to the end, 

The future is my choice. 

Beyond my toil and weariness, 

My sorrows and my years, 

My weakness and vicissitudes, 

My many doubts and fears. 

Beyond the shadows, in the realm 
Of endless light and peace, 

My sorrows shall be turned to joys, 
The joys that never cease. 

A glory there exceeding far 
The wealth or fame of men, 

A loveliness eternal 

Beyond the mortal ken 

Are now become my only hope, 

Oh praises let me sing!! 

Unto the Christ, MY RISEN LORD, 
MY SAVIOR AND MY KING. 


98 


HEAVENLY KNOWLEDGE 


Eve known the holy presence of 
My Lord the King of Kings 
Of Christ the Son of righteousness 
With healing in His wings. 

The Comforter who came to me 
When I was in despair, 

That spake those sweet, assuring words 
That drove away my fear. 

That reassures from time to time, 

That keeps me to the end 
When Jesus in His glory comes 
And angels shall descend; 

That lives and loves forever 
In every holy realm, 

The Alpha and Omega, 

The RULER at the helm. 

The ONE who rules in perfect love, 
The ONE who is supreme, 

The ONE who in His holy flesh 
His people did redeem. 

The ONE who intercedes for me 
My guiltiness assuages, 

Who even overrules my life 
When Satan’s power rages. 

Will resurrect my body, pure, 

Will raise it from the dust, 

Will take it to the holy realm 
To dwell with all the just, 

In all the light and loveliness 
Of that eternal shore 
Where God alone is now the King 
To reign forevermore. 


99 


THE ONLY IDEAL 


An ideal is but mental, 

Existing not in fact, 

Excepting one in Christ the Lord 
Whose love is all intact; 

And He is God; no other 
Can reach His perfect heights; 
Behold Him, and adore Him; 
And spread abroad His lights. 

And He is always on the earth 
In Spirit and in truth; 

And all who love and follow Him 
Will never be uncouth; 

And He the only great Ideal 
Has taught us what to do; 

So study well His precepts, 

And to His word be true. 

As high as Heaven is above 
The low abode of men 
So higher are His perfect ways 
And all His holy plan; 

No mortal man can be ideal, 

So look to God alone 
To always do the best you can, 
And worship at His throne. 


100 


MY TRIUMPH 


My Savior is my triumph, 

The law is all fulfilled: 

Within my heart is written, 

Into my heart instilled 
The things that God intended. 

The things that I should know; 

The Lord is my redeemer 
Who came to earth below. 

(The angel said to Mary, 

To Mary in the night 
That she should bear God’s only son 
Whose love shall bring the light, 
Whose love shall bring the holy life 
To us forevermore, 

And take His own to Heaven, 

The great celestial shore.) 

O Savior, help me worship Thee, 
Adore thy holy name; 

Oh, help me to declare thy love, 

And spread Thy wondrous fame; 

O Savior, help me follow Thee 
In all that Thou hast taught, 

For great is Thy salvation, 

The wonders Thou hast wrought. 


101 


OUR SAVIOR 


All words are insufficient 
The beauties to express, 

And loveliness of Christ the Lord 
In holy blessedness. 

The fallen mind cannot contain 
The grandeur of His worth; 

Tis seen in only Heaven then 
And not upon the earth. 

The Alpha and Omega, 

The First, the Last, the All, 

The Ending, the Beginning, 

Who saved us from the fall. 

Who offered on Golgotha’s Hill 
The Sacrifice complete 
The Lamb of God, of Holiness 
Who never knows defeat. 

The Son of God, and Adam, 

Of Heaven, and of earth, 

But holy in his fullness; 

That gave us holy birth; 

He walked the earth among His own 
He wept in sorrow sore; 

He lived His love completely 
Whom angels all adore. 

By merit and by birthright 
The King of all the earth; 

Incarnate yet immaculate 
By humble, wondrous birth; 

He came from Heaven to the earth 
To do the Father’s will, 

To sacrifice HIMSELF for sin; 

The word to all fulfill. 


102 


He rescued all His own from death; 
A perfect love bestowed; 

He satisfied the holy law, 

He paid the debt we owed; 

A reconciliation made 
Upon the cruel cross, 

And in the resurrection 
To cleanse away the dross. 

His life was holy on the earth; 

His body had no sin; 

To no temptation did He yield 
To walk as sinful men; 

Without a spot or blemish 
HIMSELF He sacrificed; 

He was HIMSELF the Offering; 

It verily sufficed. 

He glorified the Father’s love; 

He paid the debt for sin; 

He bore our every sorrow. 

Rejected though of men; 

The world could see no comeliness. 
No beauty there desired; 

Forsaken by His loved ones; 

In desolation cared; 

Endured the condemnations all; 

He suffered all the scorn, 

To see the adversary 
Of all His power shorn; 

In all His innocence was much 
In love; He gladly died; 

The holy, blessed Savior, 

The Savior crucified. 


103 


THE CONSUMMATION 


No man can write its fullness of 
Its glory is not seen 
By mortals on the shores of time 
Where Death can wreak his spleen. 
No vista to the holy realms 
Beyond this vale of tears. 

Will here reveal what souls may feel 
And banish all our fears. 

The work of God is hidden deep 
So often everywhere. 

But ah! His power infinite 
That even devils fear 
Abides within the depths of Hell 
And on the holy throne. 

The holy work of Heaven 
Is moving ever on. 

And in the consummation 
The INFINITE will reign. 

All holiness, perfection, 

No sin, no death, no pain, 

Eternal glory, righteousness 
Will be in Christ the King; 

And always there in perfect truth 
His praises shall we sing. 

The consummation will be just; 
And perfect love will be 
In every saint and angel there 
For all eternity. 

The holy light of God will shine 
In endless, perfect day. 

We’ll dwell in beauty with our God 
In His own perfect way. 


104 


A SCENE IN GALILEE 


Behold a scene in Galilee 
So wonderful to see, 

A scene excelling beauty 
Too wonderful for me, 

A great assembly marching, 

They go toward a grave 
To put a form into the earth 
A boy a mother gave. 

And he a mother’s only son; 

The mother followed there; 

And no one knew her sorrow, 

And none had heard her prayer; 
She knew of none to help her, 

Her future only black; 

She knew that none in all the earth 
Could bring her darling back. 

In her was not a ray of hope, 

Her husband too was gone, 

The world to her was very dark 
And she must dwell alone, 

Her loneliness and sorrow 
Was more than she could bear, 
But look, a man approaches, 

A man is coming there. 

A man whose love is infinite 
In all the Father chose, 

Who loves His own forever, 

And none of them will lose; 

Whose power is eternal, 

He came and touched the bier, 

He came and touched the coffin 
And saw the boy in there. 


d05 


He spake unto the mother, 

O woman, do not weep 
For he possessed the power 
To raise him from his sleep; 

He said unto the darling boy, 
Arise, young man, arise, 

For Jesus had the power, 

To take him to the skies. 

The boy arose in gladness, 

And with his mother went, 
Rejoicing in the Savior, 

The Son the Father sent; 
Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, 
Ye every one who weeps, 

The Savior’s love is perfect, 

And all His people keeps. 

Rejoice ye in His power, 

Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, 

Beyond this scene in Paradise 
Again we’ll hear His voice; 

We’ll praise Him there forever, 
THE HOLY KING OF KINGS, 
OH PRAISE HIM, praise Him 
now, 

For He a blessing brings. 


PRAISE 


Much greater Thou than all the earth, 

O Father in the Skies; 

For infinite Thou art in good; 

Thy glory never dies. 

Thy loveliness eternal, 

Thy holy, perfect way 
No mortal eye can comprehend, 

Or view, in any way. 

The beauty of Thy holy work 
No mortal can behold; 

And all Thy wondrous providence 
To man is still untold. 

Eternally abiding 
Thy wisdom is supreme. 

A view of Thy perfection 
No mortal eye can claim. 

And sovereign is Thy holy will 
In all that pleaseth Thee; 

Sufficient is Thy holy grace 
For all who look to Thee; 

And out beyond this vale of tears, 

When all our toils are o’er, 

Thine own shall safely dwell with Thee 
On Heaven’s perfect shore. 

And there we’ll praise Thy holy name 
(Too wonderful to speak) 

Thy holy, perfect presence there 
We will not need to seek, 

For there in all eternity 
Thine own shall dwell with Thee; 

For there in all ETERNITY 
Thine own shall dwell with THEE. 


107 


TWO WORLDS CONSIDERED 


The world is but contemptible 
To Heavenly compared, 

To Heaven’s ways and loveliness 
By holy angels shared; 

To numberless and holy joys 
Beyond the earthly sphere. 

Where everything is perfect, 

And none will ever fear. 

In everything is righteousness; 
Where beauties never wane; 

Where life is all immortal, 

And never suffers pain; 

Where God is ever visible 
The EVERLASTING KING 
THE KING OF ALL THE UNI¬ 
VERSE, 

Including everything. 

In garments there immaculate 
A perfect praise to sing; 

Eternally to worship there 
The great ETERNAL KING: 
The saints of God and angels 
Forevermore will dwell 
In love and peace and glory 
That mortals cannot tell. 


108 


JESUS 

I have a Friend whom I can trust, 
Who knows my life with no disgust, 
Who knows my weaknesses and grief, 
Who is my love and my relief, 

Who sympathizes when I mourn, 

Oh, may His life my life adorn; 

For in His sacrifice I win, 

For he annuled my guilt of sin. 

He gives me peace; and intercedes 
When in my life are evil deeds; 

He banishes the devil’s power; 

His grace he gives me every hour; 

His fullness has my soul received, 

MY LORD in whom I have believed; 
Forever shall I dwell with him 
Where love and glory cannot dim. 


GOD’S GREATNESS 

Mysterious and wonderful 
Are all Jehovah’s ways, 

An invitation to us all 
To always render praise; 

An invitation to His own 
Before His throne to wait, 

And every effort in each life 
To Him to consecrate. 

And He is always justified 
Whatever His commands, 
Although His holy purposes 
No human understands; 

His truth and perfect wisdom 
No man can comprehend, 

But on His grace and mercy 
Each loved one may depend. 

109 



PRAISE 


Thy name, O Lord, Almighty God, 
Thy name Oh, let me sing; 

Thou holy King of Righteousness, 
Thy praises let me bring; 

Thou holy King of grace and truth, 
Thou holy King of peace; 

Perfection Thine is everywhere; 

Thy glory cannot cease. 

And Thou art reigning always, Lord; 
The universe obeys Thee; 

“The Heavens are Thy handiwork” 
Oh, help Thine own to praise Thee; 
Thy beauty is beyond our ken; 

Thy face we cannot see; 

The glories of the earth and Heaven 
Are all, are all of Thee. 


110 


LAWS OF GOD 


THE LAWS AND WAYS OF GOD 

The laws of God are perfect, 

And none can them evade, 

Annul, or even disobey, 

For penalties were made; 

And violators suffer them, 

For fully do they work, 

So keep away from Satan’s sway 
Where only dangers lurk. 

The ways of God are holy, 

And none can criticize, 

Or even ask “What doest Thou?” 
For He alone is wise; 

And who would even dare oppose, 
All Heaven to defy? 

O foolish man who thinks he can! 
To do so is to die. 


Ill 









THE LAW OF THE LORD 
IS PERFECT 


Go, pity him who doesn’t know 
Of fundamental law, 

The laws perhaps unwritten 
In which is not a flaw. 

The laws in fundamental truth 
Enforced in every age, 

Evaded not by mortal man 
No matter what his rage. 

The laws divine entirely, 

And so are not annulled; 

Whose knife is perfect, sure, and sharp 
And never can be dulled. 

Their ways are permanent in all; 

Are perfect everywhere. 

Whose ends are not improved by man 
Though exercising care. 

Oh, stand in awe of Him who made 
The fundamental law. 

Whose way is ever perfect, 

And cannot know a flaw; 

Whose power, written everywhere, 

That rides upon the storm, 

Bespeaks His love to humble men; 
Though man is but a worm. 

So, let us fear and worship HIM 
In age as well as youth, 

The MAKER of the perfect laws, 

The FINISHER of truth. 

For HE controls the ages, 

ETERNITY He rules; 

And those who say that HE is not 
The BIBLE says are fools. 


112 


OBEY 


The Lord is king; obey his laws; 

In him are neither ills nor flaws; 

His work is perfect, holy, just, 

And worthy of your deepest trust; 

In him your labor should abound, 

For in the Lord is comfort found; 

In only him perfection is; 

The power and the glory, his. 

And, also, he is everywhere; 

To only him should be your prayer, 
For he alone can guide your feet; 

His grace, the only safe retreat; 
Through all the earth his power goes, 
And he can stay the hand of foes; 
Eternity belongs to him; 

His righteousness will never dim. 


113 


THE LAW AND LOVE OF HEAVEN 


The law of Heaven punishes, 

Or makes a sure reward; 

’Tis verified in every life, 

And all the sacred word 
And every evil consequence, 

Or woe of sinful men 
Is but a holy penalty 
Or aftermath of sin. 

There is a compensation 
For every worthy deed; 

No matter where enacted 
A blessing will preceed; 

For God is truly everywhere, 

And perfect are His ways, 

And when we walk in truth and ri| 
He blesses all our days. 

And in the omnipresence 
Of God Eternal, sure 
The holy work of Heaven 
Forever will endure; 

And in the consummation 
That now we cannot know 
The perfect love of Heaven 
The Savior will bestow. 


THE CHRISTIAN LIFE 


THE CONSECRATED LIFE 

“A consecrated Christian life,” 

A term itself complete; 

But seldom lived by any man 
The evils to defeat; 

The life within the narrow path 
Of righteousness and truth; 

But where, oh, where is any man? 

With naught in him uncouth. 

A perfect and upright man 
So seldom here is found 
Like Job who lived so long ago 
That no one knows his mound; 

Or like the sainted Enoch 
Who for three hundred years 
Walked with the Lord and knew Him, 
And knew no ugly fears. 

The consecrated Christian life 
That cannot be defeated; 

So great a blossom sweet and true 
That might be here repeated; 

A challenge to the world of men 
To walk with God on earth; 

Obeying every great command 
To show a perfect worth. 


115 








A CONTRAST 


The fame and riches of the earth 
But mist and vapors are; 

They are but phantoms indistinct 
Like shadows seen afar; 

They’re only apparitions void, 

So soon they pass away; 

They fall before the scythe of time; 
They last for just a day. 

But somewhere, somewhere, somewhere 
A permanence abides— 

A life beyond the earthly life, 

The rise and fall of tides; 

’Tis where the righteousness of God 
Eternal as the truth 
Shall clothe us in the beauty there 
Of sweet immortal youth. 

A comfort now for those who toil, 

The sorrowing for sin, 

For those who love in purity 

To know that angels ken 

Shall be their own beyond these tears, 

Ah, such a holy thought! 

’Tis sweeter than the sweetest sweet 
That man has ever wrought. 

Beloved of God, in every clime, 

Be comforted today, 

The great I AM is on His throne, 

And He will have His way; 

The earthly treasures everywhere 
Oblivion shall know; 

But we shall be in Paradise 
Where joys immortal flow. 


116 


EXPERIENCE 


There’s always care and sorrow 
In every Christian’s path, 

For often must he share the woes 
Another person hath. 

He sympathizes with the poor 
In all their toils and cares, 

And for the saints of all the earth 
He offers fervent prayers. 

So many times a load of love 
Is on His willing shoulders; 

The fire of God within him is 
Though oft it only smoulders; 

He tries to have a noble deed 
For every setting sun. 

Most often in the solemn end 
He’s glad the race he run. 

So limited his humble sphere, 
Though great may be the view, 

He can’t accomplish all he would 
But still he tries anew. 

He can’t discern hypocrisy 
In every case he tries, 

For that’s reserved for mighty God 
Whose Throne is in the skies. 

Man cannot see the inner man, 

He sees the outer part; 

Jehovah see-eth everything, 

He knoweth every heart; 

His ways are so much higher 
Than ways of mortals low, 

But we will understand it more 
When we to Heaven go. 


117 


O Christian, be contented 
To work within your realm; 
Eternal things belong to God; 
He stayeth at the helm; 

His grace will truly hold us, 
His love eternal too; 

Christ died for all His people, 
The Christian should be true. 


118 


LOVE 


THE LOVE OF GOD 

The love of God is wonderful. 

So manifest in grace; 

And shows to sinners all undone 
Such mercy in its place; 

Administers in perfect ways— 

In ways to men unknown— 

That emanates from Heaven— 

From God upon His throne. 

’Tis beautiful in every way 
To sinners bending low, 

To sinners all unworthy 
To Paradise to go; 

And shows to them the worthiness 
Of Christ the King of all 
To claim them in redemption, 
Redemption from the fall. 

To claim them each who for them died; 
Such worthiness to prove; 

Who for them all was crucified, 

Such wondrous perfect love; 

OH HOLY WONDROUS, PERFECT 
LOVE: 

EXALTED let Him be 
In every humble sinner’s heart, 

And praised eternally. 


119 








THE LOVE OF GOD 


More pure than honeysuckle blooms 
Or roses in the spring, 

Or orange blossoms on the trees 
That such a fragrance bring; 

More pure than faultless falling snow 
Its beauty never marred, 

Unlike the law, accusing law, 
Condemning, and so hard. 

So perfect and so lovely 
Administered to those 
In all the world especially 
To them the Father chose, 

And by the holy angels, 

And all who love His name, 

And taught in all the Holy Book 
Declaring wondrous fame. 

Personified in Christ the Lord, 

Too wondrous to be told, 

Unspoken in its fullness 
But partly to the fold, 

But we will know it after while 
When Christ the King returns, 

When all the evils everywhere 
And degradation burns. 

And on the great celestial shore, 
Eternally to be, 

Those holy loved ones those redeemed 
Will praise the TRINITY; 

And there in endless joy and peace, 
Perfection evermore 
The loveliness of Paradise 
Forever to adore. 


120 


CHRISTMAS POEM, 1935 


Oh, let me weep with these who mourn, 
With Christ the all sublime, 

And vigils keep with these forlorn 
Until the end of time. 

And may I hear the angels’ song 
To all the poor and meek 
Whene’er they walk the earth among 
The needy and the weak. 

Oh, let me pray that God may touch 
And make me love His own 
As in a way becometh such 
As look toward His throne. 

The all who see the Master’s hand 
Administer in love 
To all the free in every land 
His righteousness to prove. 

And may I love the Prince of Peace 
With all my duty done, 

And beg that He my faith increase 
In him the Holy Son. 

And further beg that he attune 
My heart to humble praise 
To God Almighty, God Triune 
And all His wondrous ways. 


121 


LOVE FOR THE HUMBLE POOR 

I love the poor of all the earth 
That have a sense of thrift, 

With Singular economy 
Who do not float or drift, 

But have a purpose all alert 
And try to do their best, 

Who do their work and worship, 

And then enjoy their rest. 

I love the poor immensely, 

The friendship of my kind; 

I have for them a fellowship, 

A comradeship I find, 

A nearness to the humble soul 
That has a sense of right, 

A fondness and devotion to 
The Lord of love and light. 


LOVE 

The happiness of love is action; 

Its test is what it does; 

’Tis not expressed in only words; 

It serves where’er it goes; 

The opposition it endures, 
Accomplishes its task; 

But ah! in sunshine and in peace 
So seldom does it bask. 

The perfect love that comes from God 
To body, soul, and mind, 

So deep that no one knows its truth, 
That cannot be defined 
Endures for all eternity 
In every realm of Heaven, 

The only holy, perfect love, 

The sweetest ever given. 

122 



FAITH 


MY PATHWAY 

I cannot choose my pathway; 

Nor can I go alone; 

But I will look unto my Lord; 

Who rules upon’His throne; 

His Spirit dwelleth everywhere; 

And He will be my guide; 

Will always be my keeper; 

And with me will abide. 

I cannot choose my pathway; 

But God who knoweth all 
In all my deep distresses 
Will hear my every call; 

I know His love is always mine, 

(So manifest in grace) 

And in my pain and sorrows hard 
Will soften every place. 

I cannot choose my pathway; 

My Savior is my King; 

He knoweth best in every case; 

His praises will I sing; 

I want to love him more and more; 

And Him to always trust— 

MY LORD IN WHOM I HAVE BE¬ 
LIEVED, 

Though I am only dust. 


123 











FAITH 


Oh, what is faith, beloved of God, 
What meaning doth it carry? 

What is there in it that supports 
The loving saints that tarry? 

Who walk the earth in love and fear, 
That always bow to HIM 
That sometimes lifts us up to heights 
But oft becometh dim. 

That puts us sometimes in His steps, 

In sorrow or in pain, 

Or in the heights of ecstasy 
Without an earthly gain. 

That leads us on in righteousness 
Allaying doubts and fears 
Akin so much to holiness, 

That brings a joy in tears. 

That makes us know of God and truth, 
Of peace and perfect light; 

That leads us to the mountain tops 
So far from all the night. 

That lets us know that God is King 
In sunshine and the storm; 

That HE is all omnipotent; 

And man is but a worm. 

That gives to us the Spirit 
To shout aloud His praise; 

That gives to us to see him, 

And know in part His ways. 

That gives to us to love him 
Though chastened by His rod; 

To see his omnipresence 
And know that HE is GOD. 


124 


Oh, what is faith, beloved, 

The kind that Moses knew? 

That gave him strength enduring; 
That will not bid adieu 
To any man that walks with God 
In sorrow and in pain, 

That would not stoop to lower things 
For any earthly gain. 

That faith so mighty in its way 
That cannot be subdued, 

That even succored Rahab 
Whose life before was lewd; 

That lets us know that God will raise 
Our bodies from the Sod 
To live with him forever; 

It is the GIFT OF GOD. 

A foretaste of the perfect peace 
That will be ours then; 

Beyond the toil and weariness, 

Beyond the rule of sin. 

Beyond the resurrection 
Where none can make afraid, 

In Christ the risen Savior, 

The ransom fully paid. 

And in the consummation sweet, 
When Jesus claims His own, 

The holy saints will worship Him 
Before the holy throne; 

With holy angels render then 
Eternal, perfect praise, 

And in a holy fullness 
Will understand His ways. 


125 


To be the heirs with Christ the Lord 
Of Heaven’s holy shore; 

To know the HOLY TRINITY 
Forever, evermore; 

Mine eyes shall then behold Him 
Who suffered in the flesh 
To give His life and holiness 
To this unworthy trash. 

But in the fullness of His love 
Like HIM his own shall be; 

And we shall see Him as He is 
In immortality. 

We do not know the glories here 

That ours then shall be 

For we no longer will be slaves, 

But there forever free. 

The foretaste is the substance 
Of things we have not seen, 

Of perfect things beyond the grave, 
So great and high and clean. 

The loveliness and holiness 
Beyond that cannot fade, 

The gift of love and Heaven, 

The Heaven God has made. 


126 


SUBMISSION 


To live in humble poverty 
With all attending ills 
Is better in the grace of God 
With what His word fulfills 
Than all the riches of the earth 
In all the wide domains, 

For He is king in everything, 

And HE forever reigns. 

To live in humble poverty 
With all attending ills, 

With all its inconveniences 
With what His love instills 
Is better than the titles here 
To any kingly crown, 

For all the earthly powers 
Will some day tumble down. 

For God is ruler always; 

No mortal stays His hand; 

No power sways His judgment; 

And evil cannot stand; 

No princely dignity in man 
Can claim a right to rule; 

Unless his dignities are learned 
In Great Jehovah’s school. 

The school in which poor Jonah learned; 
And Joshua was taught; 

Where Moses learned his lessons 
That God the Father wrought; 

Elijah and Elisha there 
In wisdom all divine 
Were moved as God directed 
In power superfine. 


127 


For none can know Jehovah’s ways; 
Or measure what He does; 

His power formed the infinite 
And reaches where it goes. 

Without consulting any man 
Jehovah does His will 
And man must be subservient 
God’s word to all fulfill. 


CONFIDENT; IN FAITH 

My Lord is with me always; 

His love is always mine; 

I know His holy countenance 
Will ever on me shine; 

I know His work is always true; 

His dealings all are just, 

That He is in my being 
Although my frame is dust. 

I know His ways are perfect; 

And none can stay His hand; 

His glory is eternal; 

His truth will ever stand; 

His perfect presence keeps His own, 
Whatever be their way; 

And He alone my sovereign is 
Whatever men may say. 


128 



HOPE 


CONFESSION 

Oh, where is hope, Almighty God? 
My heart is vacant, void; 

My soul is full of heaviness; 

In sorrow I’m annoyed; 

My faith is empty, full of lack; 

I need thy Spirit so; 

Oh, come to me in tenderness 
Thy mercy to bestow. 

I’m all undone; I wait in vain; 

My efforts all are weak; 

I cannot feel thy righteousness; 

My thoughts too low to speak; 

O Lord, without thy guiding hand, 
Without thy holy grace, 

Without thy love to lift me up 
I cannot keep apace. 

Without thy peace, Almighty God, 
My misery is sore; 

O Lord, I know I’m nothing, 

But help me love thee more; 

Oh, let me go into thy courts, 

Into thy presence sweet 

To take my life, my hope, my all 

And place it at thy feet. 


129 






IN HOPE 


I cannot make my body pure, 

Nor yet my way serene; 

In joy I cannot long endure, 

For I am all unclean. 

My way is filthy; and is low; 

My flesh is all defiled; 

And holiness I cannot know, 

For Satan hath beguiled. 

My road is full of troubles mean; 

My works but make it so; 

No beauty in my life is seen, 

No righteousness I know; 

I cannot force myself to cease 
Unrighteousness and sin; 

And evils in my life increase, 

I walk the ways of men. 

But Christ the Lord is over all; 

He reigns within my soul; 

He rules in those who hear His call, 
And Heaven is their goal; 

His way is sure and perfect here; 

And he will guide and keep; 

His name we all must love and fear 
Although in pain we weep. 

Though we in sin and sorrow roam, 
Our weaknesses he knows; 

Although the dust is now my home, 
The Christ His love bestows 
And after while when all is done, 
When weeping all is o’er, 

We’ll dwell with Christ the Holy Son 
In love forevermore. 


130 


HOPE IN WEAKNESS 


My weakness overwhelms me, 

My tendency to sin, 

The trend of inclinations 
That I am always in; 

And in myself no remedy, 

My lot is but to mourn; 

I find myself but folly here; 

My way is all forlorn. 

My way is only waywardness; 

My body is but sin; 

It has no claim to righteousness; 
No triumph can begin; 

It cannot find security; 

My end is but to die; 

Within myself I cannot hope 
For peace with God on high. 

Redemption is my only hope, 
Salvation by the Lord; 

In grace, in His amazing grace 
That His alone afford; 
Unworthy to be loved of Him, 
Unfit with Him to dwell; 
Within myself I ought to be 
Consigned to endless Hell. 

I have no hope but Jesus, 

The Pure, the Undefiled, 

My body is corruption, 

By Satan is beguiled; 

There is no hope but Jesus 
Whose countenance is LIGHT; 
I beg Him to return to me 
That I may walk aright. 


131 


WAITING ON GOD 


I cannot win my fight alone, 

Nor can I cancel sin; 

I cannot move the heart of stone, 
Or holiness begin; 

I cannot bring myself to God, 

Nor yet the Lord command, 

I’m but as filthy as a clod, 

Acquitted cannot stand. 

I cannot claim exemptions 
From all the guilt of man, 

Or make my own -redemptions 
With any mortal plan; 

’Tis hard to mend my sinful ways 
However much I try; 

Impossible to render praise 
Without the Lord; I die. 

My hope is in but grace alone 
Accomplished by the Son, 

In Jesus Christ who loved His own 
And all the victory won; 

My strength is nothing at its best; 
My way alone is void; 

My body cannot stand the test 
Where evil is enjoyed. 

His word and ways are all complete; 
His power cannot fail; 

My Savior cannot know defeat 
Though devils all assail; 

The Alpha and Omega great 
Alive forevermore; 

His people can but work and wait. 
And all His work adore. 


132 


ABIDING HOPE 


A changing world of sorrow, 

A surging world of woe; 

In all the throes of crime and sin 
That none of us foreknow; 

A world that knows no bliss or peace 
Except the changing kinds; 

The world is full of changes; 

The world, it never minds. 

For better, or sometimes for worse, 

But never comes a day 

But that we welcome changes, 

And “welcome” them away; 

But, one thing never changes, 

The nature of the man, 

We see Him full of strife and sin, 
Whoever we may scan. 

No mortal being gets so high 
To be above temptation; 

But many often get so low 
They dwell in degradation; 

And only HIM the Prince of Peace 
Should be a man’s ideal, 

For it is HE who strengthens us 
Who laid the nation’s keel. 

So look to Him and do your best, 
With courage in your heart, 

For He has always helped His own, 
And HE will not depart; 

And always try to pray to Him, 

The great and truest Friend, 

And don’t be disappointed, 

For He can fix the end. 


133 


MY RISEN LORD 


My hope is in the Risen Lord; 

My faith is in His name; 

His peace is all my soul’s desire; 
To serve Him is my aim. 

His grace, sufficient for my lack, 
My every need supplies; 

His providences on the earth 
All evil here defies. 

No devil can His love annul; 

No power can destroy; 

No secret can evade His mind 
Or evil force employ. 

His word is true; His will is done; 
He cannot know defeat; 

His love is everlasting; 

His sacrifice complete. 

His holy presence, everywhere; 

No act escapes His eye; 

And none evades His penalties; 
His law can none defy. 

And all His ways are always just; 
The earth and Heaven His; 

He dwells in all the universe; 

He’s LORD of ALL THAT IS. 


134 


NOT NOW 


We cannot view the Paradise 
Beyond this vale of tears 
Until we’re through with sin and vice 
And sorrow and of fears; 

The perfect beauty out beyond, 

The glory we shall see 

Is not for time where souls despond, 

But for eternity. 

But in the consummation then 
Around the holy throne 
Will be no sorrow, woe, or sin; 

The Christ will claim his own; 

And we shall dwell on Heaven’s shore 
In everlasting peace, 

Where sin and sorrow come no more, 
And glories never cease. 


135 


I MUST NOT HAVE MY WAY 


I must not have my way at all. 
For always I am vain; 

My knowledge all is limited; 

Can little wisdom gain; 

My faith is often very low; 

I have the wrong desire; 

I always need HIS guiding hand, 
That perfect, holy Fire. 

But, oh, HE seems so far away; 

I cannot feel His touch; 

He leaves me in the darkness; 

No light I need so much; 

But HE is perfect; HE is truth, 
And HE will have His way, 

For HE is God; and HE alone 
Can bring the holy day. 

So, let me be submissive then; 
(His dealings all are just) 

And beg Him, for his Spirit 
To give me holy trust; 

That I may look to Him, and wait, 
For He is always sure; 

And He alone can give me light 
That always will endure. 


136 


BLESSED HOPE 


I sometimes long to pass away; 

I often wish to go; 

I long to be delivered from 
The tiring toil and woe; 

To enter into holiness, 

The imperfections leave. 

To go to my Redeemer, 

My Lord that I believe. 

To leave my body which is sin 
To cease my erring ways; 

And hampered not by weaknesses 
That haunt me all my days; 

To go into the realm beyond 
Where evils cannot go, 

To go to my Redeemer, 

My Lord I long to know. 

To go into His presence; 

And there to realize 
The joys of my salvation 
At home beyond the skies; 

To have my body there restored; 
Perfection there to see; 

To dwell in perfect holiness 
In all eternity. 


137 


THE FLESH: THE HOPE 

I know my flesh is full of sin; 

That I am only vile. 

That in my body dwells no good. 

But in its stead is guile; 

Contaminated in deceit; 

It breathes an ebbing breath; 

It lives in nothingness and shame; 

Its end is even death. 

’Tis only dust, and fallen; 

Corrupt in Adam’s woe; 

’Tis only weak, and so depraved; 

But sorrow does it know. 

’Tis always full of heaviness; 

And never walks aright; 

It works in only vanities; 

To err is its delight. 

But surely: There’s a remedy; 

’Tis in the RISEN LORD; 

Beyond the grave His own shall live; 
(’Tis written in His word) 

Beyond the grave is perfect peace; 

With Him shall we abide. 

There’s life, and holiness in CHRIST 
For all for whom He died. 


138 


MY HELPLESSNESS; MY HOPE 


My helplessness is pitiful; 

No wonder Jesus wept. 

No wonder that he intercedes; 

That he my soul has kept. 

He knows my flesh is only dust, 

My body cannot stand; 

He knows my life is nothing here, 

But else the Father planned. 

He sent the SON into the world 
To be propitiation; 

And he of all our many sins 
Made perfect expiation; 

As all the race in Adam die 
Are many made to live 
By Christ who brings His own to Him 
Eternal life to give. 

In mercy he can understand 
Our weaknesses and sin; 

In pity look upon us here 
When woes for us begin. 

And out beyond this vale of tears 
Perfection shall we see, 

And live in perfect holiness 
For all eternity. 


139 


A COMFORT 


I once was full of earthly hope, 
Already on the wane; 

I once was full of energy, 

But now I’m on a cane. 

I once was full of courage, 

But now I’m not so bold; 

Ah, I am never young again, 
Already, I am old. 

I did expect a lot in life, 

And I’m not disappointed; 

I’ve had my share in everything, 

In all, that God appointed. 

I’ve trusted in my gracious Lord, 
And He has well provided; 

His wondrous love and providence 
Have never yet subsided. 

I love to think of God, my own, 
Who loves and cares for me; 

I love to think of His own Son, 
Who died to make me free. 

To think of Him who ruleth all, 
Much stronger than the devil; 

The God who watcheth all my steps 
And helps me here to travel. 

He guides me in my daily toil, 

And gives me needed strength; 

He gives me here much work to do, 
And bids me go my length. 

I trust in him; He cares for me, 

He helps me take my load; 

He guides me here in all my ways; 
He keeps me in the road. 


140 


MY FAITH AND MY HOPE 


My faith, O Lord, is all in Thee; 
Myself I cannot trust; 

My flesh is all so full of sin; 

My frame is only dust. 

My weakness is my chief array; 
My ways are ever low; 

And by myself I’m nothingness, 
To heights I cannot go. 

My every charm is but a sham; 

I have no worth at all; 

I cannot rise to power, 

For I was in the fall; 

I cannot rise to ways sublime; 
Myself I cannot cure; 

My life is only woe and shame; 

I cannot long endure. 

But let me view the other side; 

I have a perfect hope, 

Eternally to dwell with God 
Beyond the sunset slope. 

Beyond the disappointments, 
The weaknesses and tears, 
Beyond the great vicissitudes, 
The wanderings and fears. 

Beyond the sting of fleshly death 
My hope is all in God; 

My sinless form incarnate 
Will come from out the sod, 

In holiness and beauty, 

To live in endless day, 

For Christ my Risen Savior 
Has put my guilt away. 


141 


HOPE 


Thy love, O Lord, canst give me peace; 
Canst save me from despair; 

Canst give my soul a sweet release 
From all my toil and care; 

For THOU ARE PERFECT; Thou 
alone 

Canst keep my erring feet; 

O Lord, the powers of Thy throne 
Canst make my pathway sweet. 

Canst drive away the clouds and gloom, 
And make Thy light appear; 

Canst make Thy providences bloom, 
And evils disappear; 

Thy love canst make Thy blessings mine; 
Canst make me render praise; 

Canst make Thy light to inward shine 
In righteousness that stays. 

Canst lift my spirit from the slough, 
And make me look to Thee; 

Canst lead me on, and on, and through, 
Oh, Thou canst strengthen me; 

Canst take me up unto the heights 
Of Pisgah’s lofty view, 

And show me Heaven’s pure delights 
So sweet, and ever new. 

Canst raise me from the low desires 
To inspiration’s hill; 

Canst warm we by the holy fires 
Thy love to all fulfill; 

Canst loose my spirit from the clay 
And take me home to Thee 
Into the light of Heaven’s day 
To dwell, O Lord, with Thee. 


142 


PERMANENT 


Where God has given life divine 
His perfect, holy light will shine; 
Beneath that ebbing, fleeting breath 
There is a soul that knows no death; 
That heart with love forever beats 
While God in there His grace repeats 
That soul obeys the law within; 

The inner life is free from sin. 

Its greatest hope is out beyond 
Where souls immortal ne’er despond; 
Although the body often errs, 

God’s holiness the soul prefers; 

In Jesus Christ is all its trust 
Until the flesh returns to dust ; 

The spirit then returns to God; 

The body sleeps beneath the sod. 

And on the resurrection morn 
The flesh and soul will each adorn 
The other in a holy peace 
Where love and glory cannot cease; 
Perfection will be everywhere, 

God’s holiness his own will share; 

Forevermore in holy light 

We’ll worship Him in pure delight. 


143 


ASSURANCES 


ADOPTED 

There’s little on the earth but sin 
And its attending woe; 

The pain and nothingness of men 
That everyone will know; 

The sorrows and the mortal ills 
In all the morbid earth, 

As man his wantonness fulfills 
In emptiness and mirth. 

No man may know a higher place 
Than that the Lord appoints; 

No man is king except in grace, 
The one the Lord anoints; 

The mortal man is always weak; 

No power can be his 

But in the Savior who is meek. 

But Lord of all that is. 

And in the wonders of His love, 
The majesty divine, 

He reigns in Paradise above 
Forever there to shine; 

And in the great assembly there, 

In holiness and peace 

His own His blessedness shall share 

That cannot fade nor cease. 


144 







THE GREATEST GIFT 


For us who breathe the ebbing breath 
The Savior conquered even death; 

Who had no room in earthly inns, 

But saved his people from their sins; 
Who stilled the waves of Galilee, 

And suffered all for even me; 

Who intercedes for us today 
That all our guilt be put away; 

He’s Lord of Lords; and King of Kings, 
And every perfect blessing brings; 

The greatest gift that God has given, 
Who rescued us, and gave us Heaven. 


WE LL UNDERSTAND 

We’ll understand HIS greatness then 
When we are through with woe and sin; 
When we have entered into light 
With God and all his angels bright; 
Elect of God in every age 
Forever free from Satan’s rage; 

Forever safe on Heaven’s shore 
Where death and terrors are no more. 

We’ll understand the mysteries 
That on the earth are only His; 

We’ll understand the perfect love- 
just why He left His home above, 

Just why He left that holy throne 
To come to earth to save His own; 

Just why He DIED to give them right 
To live with Him in endless light. 


145 



A CONSOLATION 


We see so much that’s low and mean, 
So much that’s all untrue; 

So much of little consequence, 

But very void ado; 

So many things important 
With little being done; 

Where people should be serious 
There’s only mirth and fun. 

We see so much at variance 
With fundamental truth; 

So many low influences 
Misleading many youth; 

So many woes and sorrows 
Resulting from our sin; 

So much we do not understand, 

So limited our ken. 

So many men in later life 
Just walking into snares 
So deftly set by Satan— 

And all so unawares; 

But One we know is stronger; 

And able every day 
To keep our souls from evil 
And guide us in His way. 


146 


IN CHRIST 


In Christ the Lord my Master 
There’s faith, and joy, and peace; 

A perfect life forevermore 
Where glory cannot cease; 

A perfect land of loveliness; 

A mansion in the skies; 

With holy saints and angels 
In love that never dies. 

Before the Holy Throne of God 
Where never comes a fear; 

And joy will be eternal 
Permitting not a tear; 

Where Christ the Lord will be the King 
And none will Him oppose; 

But beauty there and sweetness 
More perfect than the rose. 

In majesty and grandeur 
Sublime in every way, 

Beyond the ken of mortal man. 

In light of perfect day; 

In all the majesty of God, 

In holiness complete 

We’ll be with Christ the Risen Lord 

Who never knows defeat. 

Forevermore to worship there 
The great eternal King; 

And Heaven’s perfect anthems raise 
Eternally to sing; 

No more to fear the sting of death, 
Triumphant all in truth, 

And with the holy Trinity 
We’ll spend immortal youth. 


147 


VAIN WORLD 


The world is mostly toil and sin, 
And sorrow, woe and shame; 

So little joy or pleasure; 

No lasting mirth or fame; 

No earthly dust is permanent, 

But passing with the day; 

’Tis like the blossom of the grass. 
So soon it must decay. 

But in the permanence of God 
There is a life divine; 

Of joy and holiness in Him, 
Whose love will not repine, 

A glory in its grandeur 
Supreme in every way, 

That we shall share eternally 
In Heaven’s holy day. 


WITHOUT A MURMURING 

Oh, let me suffer! Let me trust 
In all my Father’s will; 

I’m just a worm! Only dust! 

Except the Lord fulfill 
A purpose only His in me 
To make me one His own 
To dwell with angels and the free 
Around the Holy Throne. 

Oh, let me suffer! He alone 
Is infinite in good! 

His purposes are all His own, 

By men not understood! 

And though I suffer! All is well! 

The Savior for me died! 

His love hath rescued me from hell! 
And GOD is satisfied. 


148 



GLORY BEYOND 


We have to have our sorrow; 

We all must have our woe; 

For all of us are only dust, 

And cannot fully know 
The weight of sin upon us 
In all the earth below. 

For mankind all are fallen; 

And virtues are but few; 

So many of the earthly things 
Are only void ado; 

But after while the passing things 
Will all be made anew. 

For God in wondrous wisdom 
Has fashioned everything; 

And we will worship perfectly 
The great and holy King; 

And we will find a perfect peace 
And holy praises sing. 

Beyond the earthly shadows, 

Beyond the vale of tears, 

Beyond the mortal weaknesses, 

The sin, and all the fears 
We’ll fully know the holy light 
That even here endears. 

We’ll go into a blessedness, 

The endless day of rest, 

The endless day of glory 

Beyond the east and west 

Where we will know the Savior’s peace 

And be forever blest. 


149 


THE HAND OF HEAVEN 

I’ve seen the hand of Heaven; 

I know it shelters me; 

That always it has been my guide, 
And always it will be; 

Its providences overrule, 

Directing me aright 
To walk the paths of rectitude 
Where few would dare affright. 

I’ve seen the hand of Heaven 
Wherever I have been 
Correcting many errors 
In ignorance begun. 

Without it everyone is lost 
In insufficient ways; • 

The hand of God is everywhere 
Whose name we all should praise. 


THE WORD OF TRUTH 

’Tis not a myth! The Word is true! 
The Savior is supreme! 

In Him is all the power to 
Eternally redeem. 

He was before the earth was made; 
He is forevermore; 

He rules in both the earth and on 
The great Eternal Shore. 

The Savior is the Central Thought, 
The Great Colossal Form 
Of Dignity and Holiness 
Who rides upon the storm, 

The great immortal Gift of Love, 
The mighty Prince of Peace 
Whose power in the universe 
Can neither fail nor cease. 


150 



SECURITY IN HIM 


My soul is safe in Jesus, 

Although the law condemns, 

For I am in His sacrifice 
And none His power stems; 

For He is God’s Executor 
In all the Father willed; 

And all the law of Moses 
His sacrifice fulfilled. 

His life condemns my every sin, 

For all His life was pure; 

And all He spake was holy truth 
Forever to endure; 

His body never knew a sin; 

Was superfine indeed; 

He knew my low condition; 

How very great my need. 

Although my life is full of sin. 

My Savior intercedes; 

He knows the mortal weaknesses 
And all the evil deeds; 

He knows the sorrows and the woes; 
And all the deep regrets, 

The deep remorse when I am down; 
How oft my mind forgets. 

But, O MY MASTER, love me still 
And help me look to Thee; 

Oh, help me when my way is low 
To rise and look to Thee; 

For Thou art all my hope and stay; 
Oh, help me trust in Thee; 

Oh, help me always trust in Thee; 
In Thee, in Thee, in Thee! . 


151 


ASSURANCE 


In Christ alone is victory; 

A man himself is weak 
And weaker in temptations; 

And Satan is a sneak; 

In only Christ is victory, 

The truth I must repeat; 

The Lord alone is Master; 

He never knows defeat. 

Believers, often unawares, 

The adversary leads 
To evil thoughts and notions 
And on to evil deeds; 

Continuing, he goes astray 
Till on the husk he feeds; 

At last he comes unto himself; 

And Jesus intercedes. 

And then he realizes well 
That God alone is great; 

Who dwelleth in Perfection; 

In holy, high estate; 

That none can stay or hinder him; 

In righteousness He reigns; 

And, though our sins are scarlet, 

He cleanses all the stains. 

And then he knows the Father’s love, 
The Savior’s loving care; 

That God is fully able 
To answer every prayer; 

That HE is always light and love 
Although He chastens well, 

And that He saves His own from death 
In never ending Hell. 


152 


WITNESSES 


We’re not without a witness; 

The Lord is everywhere, 

And He is infinite in good, 
Revealing He is here; 

We’re not without a witness; 

The Lord appears to men 
In spirit and in power 
Reviving us again. 

We’re not without a witness; 

He touches us in love, 

Protects and keeps us every day 
His faithfulness to prove; 

And though we wander far away, 
He always brings us back, 

For in His every promise 
The Lord is never slack. 

We’re not without a witness; 

The Lord appears to men, 

And sometimes with a cold rebuke 
To punish us for sin; 

He has His way in all He does; 

In all He changes not; 

Yes, has His way in all He does; 
In all He changes not. 


153 


A WITNESS 


Oh, Where is Christ my Master? 

Oh, tell me where He dwells; 

You say He dwells in Heaven? 

The gospel plainly tells? 

But tell me where His Spirit is. 

The Comforter He sent, 

The Holy Ghost that came to earth, 

Oh, tell we where He went. 

But this to ask is foolishness; 

The Comforter is here; 

He came to give eternal life. 

And make His own to fear; 

And make His own the witnesses 
Of what the Lord has done, 

That perfect, great redemption 
In Christ the Holy SON. 

He lives in every humble heart; 

He dwells in all His own; 

He is the Ruler of the earth, 

THAT SPIRIT OF THE SON, 

THE SPIRIT OF THE FATHER, 
THE KING WHO NEVER DIES: 
And in His holy being 
All evil He defies. 

He is the LORD, the MASTER of 
The world and all that is; 

He claims His own eternally; 

Those loving ones are His; 

And HE with CHRIST is all my hope 
From Him I will not part; 

I am the witness of His love; 

HE dwells within my heart. 


154 


APPOINTED TO TRIBULATION 


We have to have privations 
To make us understand; 

There cometh tribulations 
As GOD THE FATHER planned; 
In all the great perplexities 
That human kind must know 
The Lord can send His blessings, 

His beauties can bestow. 

For GOD THE GREAT OMNIPO¬ 
TENT 

Is living everywhere, 

And He in loving kindness 
Will all our pleadings hear. 

And HE will not forget us, 

But keep us to the end. 

For He is our Master, 

And He is our Friend. 


155 


EXALTED NOT 


Exalted not I cannot rise 
(I live as but a man) 

To realms above the vaulted skies, 

Or all His beauties scan. 

But I must be content to wait, 
Though trials may be sore, 

Upon the Lord, my high estate, 
Whose fullness is my store. 

Upon the Lord who is my own 
Whose beauties all are mine 
Who reigns forever in His throne 
His glories there to shine. 

Who is the Holy King of Kings 
Eternally to be, 

To whom the soul forever clings, 

Who succors even me. 

Who is my righteousness alone; 

So glorious is He; 

Who watches when my faith is gone, 
And always rescues me. 

Who is my hope, my only stay, 

My comforter and guide; 

The same who put my guilt away 
Whose presence will abide. 

The same who rescued me from death; 
My sins Himself He bore; 

Although I breathe a failing breath, 
And dwell in sorrow sore. 

And when to Him my soul must cry, 
So helpless and forlorn, 

He lifts me up; I do not die, 

And then I cease to mourn. 

And though my soul sometimes 
desponds, 

My all to sorrow turns, 


156 


My life to succor then responds 
Because my Lord returns. 

For always He to me is near; 

The Master never fails; 

He knows it every time I fear 
When Satan so assails. 

He knows my weakness and my way, 
My sufferings, and more, 

My sorrows and my debts to pay, 

My tribulations sore; 

He knows my inclinations all, 

And my afflictions deep, 

That Satan would my life enthrall 
Into my work to creep. 

And all along He gives me peace 
So perfect, grand, and sweet; 

He makes my bounty to increase; 
The Comforter I meet. 

He makes my spirit to rejoice; 

I feel His presence there; 

’Tis then I hear that silent Voice, 
And worship HIM in prayer. 

’Tis then I love His holy ways, 

His goodness all supreme, 

I shout aloud His humble praise 
To HIM who did redeem. 

’Tis then I feel His fullness high; 
His wonders I proclaim, 

So glorious that cannot die 
In my REDEEMER’S name. 


157 


THE BIBLE 


The HOLY BOOK is different 
From others anywhere; 

The Bible is the Book of books 
With holy pictures there. 

Its pages all are full of Truth 
In figure or in type, 

Or shadows of the things to come 
When time becometh ripe. 

No man the holy pages 
May fully understand, 

For none may comprehend the things 
That God the Father planned. 

But by the Holy Spirit 
In part is understood 
As God reveals it to His own, 

So perfect, pure, and good. 

The words of truth were all inspired 

To holy men of old 

Who moved as God directed. 

And wrote as they were told. 

Who waited for the Spirit 
To lift them to the heights 
That only God could lift them to 
To give them holy lights. 

Its loveliness is only seen 
By those who know its worth; 

It never stoops to idioms 
Or goes the way of mirth. 

Its truth is all in holiness; 

The righteousness expressed 
Is all of GOD THE INFINITE 
And always stands the test. 


158 


The Father’s holy will is shown 
In part as touching man, 

And furthered by the Spirit 
According to His plan. 

The perfect law was given 

To Israel for good 

That pointed to the Lamb of God, 

The shedding of His blood. 

The statutes and the judgments 
To Moses in the law 
Were given there at Sinai 
Containing not a flaw. 

The Ten Commandments written there 
Is good for every one, 

And he who keeps them in his life 
Will find his duty done. 

The covenant of latter days 
Is written in the old 
In many truths and shadows there 
In many visions told; 

It testifies to those who love 
That God is always King, 

To them the love, the truth, the peace 
Whose praises we should sing. 

Within the latter testament, 

Within the holy Son 
Incarnate yet immaculate 
The Father’s will is done. 

And in the consummation 
That some day we shall see 
His own will truly dwell with him 
For all eternity. 


159 


NATURE 


THE WILD DOGWOOD 

Tis nature’s unattended best 
It beautifies alone; 

It gives to spring a blessedness, 
an ardent zest, 

As yet it “speaks” of God 
upon his throne. 

It glorifies the woods alive 
With bluebirds and the thrush, 

Where mockingbirds and whippoorwills 
Awake the midnight hush; 

Adorning in its majesty 
The graveyard as a shrine; 

It makes the valleys beautiful 
And God’s own beauty mine. 

It humbles and beatifies 
The noble hearts that see 
The hand of God so perfect there 
In every dogwood tree. 

’Tis blooming in the ages 
While God to us reveals 
His beauty and His righteousness 
And naught from us conceals. 

We see the Lord in nature there 
Akin to what shall be 
Just out beyond in Paradise 
In H is eternity. 


160 






NATURE AND GOD 


There’s no perfection anywhere 
But in the work of God; 

Perfection there is everywhere, 

’Tis written in the clod. 

The mountains, and the sea, the sky, 
Declare His majesty; 

And none His power can defy 
In all eternity. 

All nature is an open book, 

’Tis Wonder’s gallery, 

And works for God where’er you look 
But not for salary; 

The lowly beetles as they hum 
Are doing holy work, 

For God has bidden them to come, 
And never do they shirk. 

How beautiful are all His ways 
For those who love and toil, 

For Him w’ho to the Father prays 
And knows that none can foil 
His sovereignty in all things, 

In near or distant lands, 

And humble praises to Him sings 
Obeying His commands. 

So glorious and wonderful 
Is every work of His; 

He rules in all the universe— 

The KING of all that is. 

The wisdom in His holy will 
In mortals here below 
Is shown by all His works fulfill 
In beauty none can know. 


161 


COMMUNION WITH NATURE 


Get close to nature, close to God; 
The great Creator’s hand; 

Behold the handiwork of God 
Abroad in all the land. 

In every drop of water, 

In every grain of sand, 

For everything in Nature 
Obeys the Lord’s command. 

The every bird that builds a nest, 
And careth for her young; 

She guards them, and she feeds them 
The boughs and leaves among. 

She watches out for enemies 
Repelling if she can. 

And all according to the way 
Of God’s own holy plan. 

Behold the clouds in power 
Unmeasured by a man. 

A million tons of water plus 
To carry out His plan. 

To water every thirsty hill, 

To make the rivers full. 

Tis God who does it in His way 
Whose powers never dull. 

Behold a mighty river 
With all its rushing sweep, 

The perfect hand of Nature 
Replenishing the deep. 

The home of many fishes, 

A part of Nature’s best. 

And God is dwelling everywhere 
From east unto the west. 


162 


THE MOCKINGBIRD 


The Queen of Song in birdland, 
Whose voice is nature’s pride 
That does the perfect bidding 
Of HIM who for us died; 

She singeth often in the night 
When almost all is still; 

She singeth in perfection; 

She does the Master’s will. 

She sings a praise in nature 
Bespeaking perfect ways; 

An ardent stream of gladness! 

In all her joyful lays; 

She mimics every perfect song, 
The Queen of all the birds; 

She sings of God, and beauty 
Too wonderful for words. 


163 


OMNIPRESENCE 


All nature does the will of God 
It is the Master’s hand; 

It moves along in every realm 
Exactly as He planned; 

And nature is so wonderful! 

Its doings all invite 
Your wisdom in its study 
To help you see aright. 

But nature has its secrets 
That never are explained, 

Those deeper, finer, hidden things 
That were of God ordained; 

So always love, and study well 

In nature’s open book 

To learn its secrets when you can; 

It all invites a look. 

It all invites a study, 

And truly if you scan 

The small or mighty wonders 

In all the perfect plan, 

’Twill make your being stand in awe 
The AUTHOR you will see 
Expressed in beauty everywhere 
Before eternity. 


164 


SOME QUESTIONS 

Is Nature always beautiful? 

Is everything divine? 

Is every work the work of God 
Contrary or benign? 

Is every way His way alone 
In everything we see? 

Is he the King of all the earth 
For all eternity? 

Is He the Master over all 
In every age and clime? 

And does He keep us always, 

And lead to heights sublime? 

Are all His promises in force? 

Is true His every word? 

Is every man a failure, 

And all His works absurd? 

A man may ask the questions, 

But who can answer give? 

And who can break the bread of life? 
And who can eat and live? 

For who can know the ways of God 
When He the sea commands? 

And who can see His kingdom? 

What mortal understands? 

Who edifies the holy Church? 

Who makes the Spirit come? 

For yet without the Spirit 
A man is only dumb; 

’Tis HE who lives in mortals 
To immortality; 

For HE commands the Spirit 
To come and with us be. 


165 


THE SUN 


A great eternal motion is 
The power of the sun; 

A mystery that Heaven holds. 
Unfinished yet, but done. 

Much water from the earth and sea 
Is lifted to the skies; 

And in the mighty, mighty sun 
The perfect power lies. 

Conditions then by Heaven made 
That cause the clouds to form, 

And bring the rain in gentleness, 

Or in the raging storm. 

That makes the rivers all to flow 
And every little brook— 

SUCH THINGS are vested not in man. 
Or written in a book. 

The river turns the miller’s mill 
And grinds the corn to meal; 

The power of the sun, you see, 

Is turning every wheel. 

The power of the mighty sun 
Makes every seed to sprout; 

And all the little rose buds 
To turn their faces out. 

The energy of everything; 

That succors you and me; 

The gentle breeze, the mighty winds. 
The waves upon the sea, 

The mighty wheels of industry, 

And everything begun, 

The mighty tides that ebb and flow. 

Is coming from the sun. 


166 


BUT LISTEN, FRIEND, there’s some¬ 
thing more; 

A question would you ask? 

WHO MADE THE MIGHTY, 
MIGHTY SUN? 

And set it to a task? 

To make it shine upon the earth 
To warm the humble sod; 

THE SAME WHO MADEST EVERY¬ 
THING, 

THE MASTER, OUR GOD. 


167 


BEHOLD 


BEHOLD and scan the vaulted sky; 
’Twas made by HIM who will not die; 
’Twas made by him who never errs; 
Whose way the angels each prefers; 
Whose ways are all beyond the ken 
Of any mortal man or men; 

In every star perfection is; 

And all the wonders there are H is. 

The vaulted blue o’er all the earth— 

A picture of HIS perfect worth 
Is infinite in beauty there— 

BEHOLD IT; and forget your care; 
Behold the wonders in the clouds 
When darkness all the earth enshrouds 
To bring the rain, a blessing sweet 
When earth and Heaven seem to meet. 

Behold the wonders everywhere 
In GOD exalting us in fear; 

That makes us know that HE is KING; 
And helps us now His praise to sing; 
Behold the blessings in His ways 
That all our hearts and soul amaze, 

O FATHER, help us all to find 
That Thou art always good and kind. 


168 


SPRING 


When the daisies are a-blooming, 

And the tulips start to peep. 

When the mocking bird awakes us 
After we have gone to sleep. 

When the apple tree is budding, 

And the bluebird makes his nest, 
And the thrush he stays so busy 
That he hardly stops to rest. 

When the crow he goes a-cawing 
And the ploughman’s saying haw, 

And you don’t see in the weather 
E’en the leastest little flaw. 

When the south wind’s blowing softly. 
And it turns so nice and warm. 

And the beetle goes a-humming 
Doing not the least of harm. 

When the farmer gets up early, 

And his wife, too, stays up late. 

And the girls set out the flowers, 
Forgetting all old winter’s hate. 

When all nature is in beauty, 

And the birds begin to sing, 
Everything then gets so lovely, 

We get happy—’Cause it’s spring. 


169 


THE HUMAN BODY 


WHY? AND THE ANSWER 

Oh, why am I so full of sin? 

Why do I wander so? 

Why do I err in all I do? 

And why my station low? 

And why are all my efforts weak? 
Why limited my sphere? 

And why my vision dull and short? 
And why so full of fear? 

The answer is: I’m just a man; 

I’m but a fallen foe; 

An enemy of love and truth, 

My path is full of woe. 

In everything I’m guilty 
And never am I clean; 

And always seeking as I am 
To manifest my spleen. 

But in my soul I wander not; 

My inner self is clean, 

For there I love, and honor truth; 
No guiltiness is seen. 

For there the Spirit planted life, 
And light, and peace, and love, 

And I shall spend eternity 
In Paradise above. 


170 









NOT ALWAYS THUS 


Not always thus; not changes few, 
But changes many us are due; 

Tis one day this; and then forgotten; 
And evil oft have we begotten; 

The world so swiftly passes on, 

’Tis one day here, the next one gone; 
’Tis one day peace; the next day war; 
Oh, what was man created for? 

’Tis one day sin; the next day woe; 
And disappointment here below; 

’Tis one day joy; then for a week 
A place of rest we only seek, 

’Tis misery, or something worse; 

For good we seldom reimburse; 

’Tis agony; or something low; 

And oft our steps are weak and slow. 

In God we seldom fully trust, 

For we are only fallen dust; 

And oft are we beset in shame, 
Because we trusted not His name; 

’Tis treachery, and evil here; 

And often lade with doubt and fear. 
We cannot to the best attain, 

But poor, and needy we remain. 

And oft our neighbors we revile. 
When in ourselves is only guile; 

And though we try we cannot reach 
To do the good we try to teach; 

It then becomes poor fallen man 
To always do the best he can, 

And though with Adam in the fall, 

To look to CHRIST who conquered 
ALL. 


171 


OUT OF MY LITTLENESS 
INTO HIM 


My life is mostly misery; 

I find but little joy, 

I find myself so full of sin; 

And many things annoy. 

Myself I find so wandering, 

So prone to evil ways 
That in it all I wonder; 

But still the evil stays. 

And though I try to climb to heights 
Of purity or fame; 

And though I always do my best, 

I find myself the same. 

I find that I am only dust 
I cannot work a plan, 

That makes me higher than myself 
For I am but a man. 

But inwardly a feeling 
So pure and superfine. 

That is not dust, but is a life, 

A life that is divine. 

It is my soul that is of God 
So born of Him in truth 
That it will live eternally 
In sweet and perfect youth. 

And it will praise forever there, 
Beyond the sunset hue. 

When to my all infirmities 
My life will bid adieu. 

My soul and body both will live 
United evermore, 

In glory and perfection on 
The sweet celestial shore. 


172 


For Christ my body hath redeemed 
Upon Golgotha’s Hill. 

He did it all because of love, 

And ’twas the Father’s will. 
Adopted into Heaven, 

Adoring there the King, 

My body then will be like His, 
And all His glories sing. 


RESIGNATION IN WEAKNESS 

There comes a time to mortal man 
When he must realize; 

That he is passing to the end, 

The human being dies; 

He goes the way of all the earth, 

Is gathered to the dust 
To sleep the final sleep of death, 

Not if he will but must. 

But let us not in moods of fear 
To grumble or repine, 

But in a sweet submission 
To enter the decline; 

Eternity belongs to God, 

Let mortals say no more, 

But look unto His majesty 
And always HIM adore. 


173 



NO NEED TO DESPOND 


Within the lower days of life 
When nothing is serene, 

When everything is gone awry, 

And nothing seemeth clean, 

When everything, it seems, is false, 
And you are in despair, 

The storms of life are in your soul, 
And you are deep in fear. 

’Tis special then to trust in God 
Who doeth all things well, 

For he can turn the things of life, 
And make your efforts tell; 

He knows the way that we must go, 
He knows the every turn; 

He always knows the things you love 
And what we ought to spurn. 

’Tis always time to do your best, 
Though often must we wait; 

So often it is early when 
To us it seemeth late; 

Though time is never plentiful, 

Let not your thoughts be marred, 

A task is often easy when 
To us it seemeth hard. 

So always try to do your best 
Unlimited in trust; 

The Lord in Heaven knows your way, 
And that your frame is dust; 

And He will guide your every step 
And make the sun to shine, 

For all the earth belongs to him; 

No need that we repine. 


174 


PROVIDENCES IN AFFLICTIONS 


Though the earth is not perfection, 
Though there is a curse divine, 
There’s a greater benediction 
Than the gold of any mine; 

In the realms of light and gladness 
There are many holy joys, 

But we see so much of sadness, 

And the tempter so annoys. 

In the sorrow of afflictions 
That we cannot understand 
Cometh many benedictions 
As the Holy Master planned; 

Sweeter than the sweetest pleasures 
That the world can ever know 
Are the perfect, holy treasures 
Disappointments often show. 

Providences all from Heaven, 

At the present all obscure, 

Are the sweetest ever given, 

And the ones that will endure; 

Many things that disappoint us 
Ere we come to understand 
Are the things that often point us 
To the blissful, holy land. 

For the Wisdom that is guiding. 
Keeping us, and leading on 
Is the Mind of God abiding, 

For the Lord is on the Throne; 

So in every bitter sorrow 
Wait for God to show his face, 

We shall see it on the morrow 
Up in Heaven, Holy Place! 


175 


PROVIDENCES IN AFFLICTIONS 


Providences in afflictions 
Cometh often hidden deep; 

Oh, the secret benedictions 
Of the Father who doth keep; 

All the bitter disappointing 
Ripens further into love 
In the work of God anointing 
Us to be with Him above. 

Grace of God with us abiding 
In our lives with naught amiss 
From our sight is often hiding 
Though it ends in perfect bliss; 
God is God; and reigns supremely 
In eternity and time; 

At the present, though, unseemly, 
But the END is all sublime. 

Look for Him in every trouble; 

Try His holy face to see; 

Though adversity is double 
What you think it ought to be; 

For the work of God is hidden 
From the world in every case; 

And He sometimes comes unbidden 
Showing us a holy place. 


176 


TO MY BODY 


O erring body, what art thou, 

But fallen, sinful dust? 

Unbridled, thou art low and mean, 
And thee I cannot trust; 

Thy works result in woe and shame; 
Thou chooseth nothing good; 

When not controlled by higher things, 
Wilt shed thy brother’s blood. 

Thou lovest ways of evil 
And hast no fear of God; 

Thou nothing hast of which to boast, 
For soon thou wilt be sod, 

Wilt be a “brother to the rock” 

And to the “sluggish clod” 

Ah! thou art only mortal! 

Except thou live in God. 

But in my body is a soul, 

And born of God in truth; 

And, though my spirit doth not sin, 
My body is uncouth; 

But flesh will be immortal 
When God hath made it new, 

When it is risen from the earth, 

To sin has bid adieu. 

And out beyond in Paradise 
They both will reunite; 

The body and the spirit 
Will live in endless light; 

United and immortal, 

Will live in Holy Peace 
With God in love forever 
Where glories never cease. 


177 


OUR WEAKNESS 


Appalling is our weakness 
When we are left alone; 

And, though we see with fleshly eyes, 
Our vision all is gone; 

The sin within our bodies low 
Will lead us but to death; 

And by myself I’m nothing here. 

And breathe a fading breath. 

My strength entire is but a myth; 

My life is never good; 

’Tis often false in all I do 
With little understood; 

Without the Lord I’m only trash. 

I’m only fallen dust; 

But with the Lord abiding there 
His mercies do I trust. 

And with His presence ruling there, 
His Spirit, and His grace, 

His holy truth and dignity, 

With HIM I run my race; 

And in that love that makes me His, 
So perfect and so pure, 

I’ll dwell with Him forevermore 
Where beauty will endure. 


178 


THE BODY; THE SPIRIT 


’Tis all corruption, all is death, 
No soundness can be seen; 

’Tis all but folly, waywardness, 
And always so unclean; 

’Tis always sin, and nothingness; 
And putrefying sores; 

Unborn for any good at all; 

And never good implores. 

’Tis all but emptiness entire, 
Without a single good; 

And void of wisdom; always low; 
And often sheddeth blood; 

’Tis fit for nothing but to die; 

It knows no lofty way; 

The grave will be its final place; 
The debt ’twill surely pay. 

But out beyond the filthy grave 
’Twill risen be in truth; 
Without a sin, without a woe; 

No longer then uncouth. 

In every sense perfected 
In immortality, 

To live in Christ in holiness 
In all eternity. 

And dwelling in the sinful clay 
There is a soul divine; 

At death it goes to be with God 
To never there repine; 

The body resurrected 
With it will reunite 
And both shall dwell together 
In holy realms of light. 


179 


O LORD 


Thou knoweth all my weaknesses, 

My wanderings, and sin; 

Thou knoweth all my trespasses 
Where all my woes begin; 

Thou knowest all my wanton ways, 

My every low desire; 

Thou knowest that in all my life 
There’s nothing to admire. 

Thou knoweth my unworthy frame, 

The ills that there abide, 

The every sorrow I must know, 

That nowhere can I hide 

But in Thy HOLY SACRIFICE- 

Thy love on Calvary— 

The grace my SAVIOR purchased there 
That bids me look to Thee; 

That merits life eternal— 

That makes me safe in Him— 

That brings to me perfection, 

And LIGHT that cannot dim; 

And though I walk in folly, 

And sorrow on the earth, 

Beyond these tears I’ll be with Thee 
And know Thy perfect worth. 


180 


MY BODY; UNLESS 


My life is but a failure; 

My body is a clod 
As void as any bit of clay 
Beneath the lowly sod; 

And all must be forgotten 
Whenever I am gone; 

My bones will lie amid the rocks 
As senseless as a stone. 

But God is infinitely good; 

And who would HIM accuse? 

And only fools would Him defy 
The devils to amuse. 

And who would dare His will oppose? 
Omnipotent is He; 

And dwells in all the earth and sky, 
And in the stormy sea. 

And if the Lord remembers me— 

To raise my body up, 

Twill be because my Savior dear 
Drank every bitter cup. 

My body merits nothing; 

No worthiness is mine— 

Unless there dwells within my soul 
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS DIVINE. 


181 


EVIL IS PRESENT WITH ME 


Em only weak and sinful, 

No good can come from me 
For still I dwell in sinful flesh, 

And I am not yet free; 

I often do as flesh would do. 

And not as I myself 

Would like to do in this old world. 

I’m only rotten pelf; 

I often long to do good deeds, 

In fact, I often try, 

I try to be a great good man, 

To every passerby, 

I often wish that I might have 
A smile for everyone 
But yet instead I often frown 
At some poor mother’s son. 

I know that I have fellowship. 

For all the poor of earth 
I feel I love all humble souls. 
Appreciate their worth; 

I’d love to help just everyone 
To lead a better life 
I’d gladly teach poor sinful man 
Just how avoid the strife; 

But I am weak and sinful too, 

And I just don’t know how, 

When I begin with my advice, 

I get into a row; 

So I must ever keep my place. 

And do the best I can 

To fill my place in this great world, 

And be a friend to man. 

Oh, I’d be glad to do great things— 
If it were in my power, 

Oh, I would do a noble deed, 

182 


For every passing hour; 

But though I try to lift up some. 

Of earth’s own humble poor 
I find that I have made mistakes 
When my own barque I moor; 

Oh, I can’t guide my own old boat 
It just won’t go aright, 

And when I row another’s boat, 

My weakness is a fright; 

O God, just show us what to do 
With this old sinful flesh 
Oh, that we’d row our own old boats, 
And conquer this old trash. 

I’d like to live a better life 
In this old world so great 
I’d gladly do great things each day 
In this old sinful state; 

But oh, I shudder as I see this 
Poor and weak old man, 

For very little have I done— 

Though I’ve done the best I can; 

Oh, pity him who somehow thinks 
That his own works are better 
It’s maybe not in spirit too, 

But only in the letter; 

Lord, pity him who thinks he’s great, 
And all the rest are little, 

Just take your knife and get a stick; 
Go some place and whittle. 

And though Ido the best I can 
Just every livelong day, 

But though I give a smile or cheer 
To all who come my way 
And though I love my fellow man, 
And be a friend to him 
Oh, I must do my duty there 
And use quite all my vim; 


But though I do just all I can 

In all my fleeting hours 

And though I spend no time at all 

In pretty shades and bowers 

But though we give our lives to Him 

Who died to make us free 

We’ll never love Him near as much 

As He loved you and me. 


ONLY FALLEN DUST 

If ’tis Thy will for me to suffer, 
Holy Father, let it be, 

Oh, let me bow in great submission 
Now to all Thou sendest me; 

Thou art infinitely holy, 

Infinitely great and wise, 

Ruling both the earth, and Heavens 
Where Thy glory never dies. 

If ’tis Thy will for me to suffer, 
Holy Father, let it be, 

Thou art infinite in justice 
Now and in eternity; 

All Thy majesty is wondrous, 
Though thou slay me yet I trust, 
THOU ART KING, O KING 
ETERNAL, 

I AM only fallen dust. 


184 



HUMILITY 


I'm but a man of humble birth 
No merit can I claim; 

No regal honors in my line; 

No kindred having fame; 

No princely dignities are mine; 

I’m but a lowly man; 

But day by day along my way 
I do the best I can. 

I often live in sorrow here, 

And every day I toil; 

My living comes from mother earth, 
The ever humble soil; 

I try to trust in only God 
Whose power to the end 
Will show to earth His perfect worth 
As Savior, and as friend. 

And sometimes Ive a witness here, 

A light within my soul 

That, though I live in heaviness, 

Is Paradise my goal, 

That in the love of Christ my Lord 
Who for His own has died 
My life shall be in Heaven free 
While God is satisfied. 


185 


MY BODY AND MY SOUL 


Myself am only low and vile; 

My body all is sin; 

My body all is fallen; 

Myself I cannot win; 

I’m only weak, and so depraved; 

I’m insufficient all, 

For I was lost in Adam, 

Was ruined in the fall. 

My mortal body always errs; 

It walks in woe and shame; 

It walks in folly, vanity, 

And plays a losing game. 

Aspires to nothing noble, true; 

It has an evil way; 

It cannot conquer; and at last 
It falls into decay. 

But in my body dwells a soul, 
Immortal, pure, divine, 

A brother to the risen Lord 
Whose love and grace are mine. 

’Tis heir with Him to Paradise, 

The Paradise of Light, 

The glorious, the beautiful, 

Where comes no death or night. 

And when my flesh is risen, 
Immortal, holy, free, 

And reunited with the soul 
For all eternity, 

They both will praise the TRIUNE 
GOD 

In holy, endless day, 

In love with my Redeemer 
Who washed my sins away. 


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THE SOUL TO THE BODY OF SIN 


I long to be delivered from 
My inclination; more 
The actual advance of sin 
For which we suffer sore; 

The consequences of it all, 

The future that it makes, 

The great remorse that follows 
Of which the soul partakes. 

The sorrows that result from sin, 
The misery we know, 

The bitterness reproaching 
Though we are high or low; 

The absence of the beautiful 
That many so desire; 

The absence of the Spirit, 

The holy, sacred fire. 

O morbid sin, so follyful, 

So shameless and so low. 

No blessings can you minister, 
No good can you bestow; 

Your ways are dark and evil, 
Your dealings all are void, 

Your present all is serious, 

Your future not enjoyed. 

O Sin, within my body, 

The flesh alone is thine, 

And that but temporary, 

In Heaven it is mine; 

In Paradise eternally 
The flesh belongs to God, 
Though temporarily it sleeps 
Beneath the humble sod. 


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For Christ the body hath redeemed; 
He bought it with His blood; 

He bought it with His body 
Unblemished, pure, and good; 

He entered into death for us, 

The penalty for crime 

And by it he hath purchased life 

Eternally sublime. 

By merit king of all the earth, 

By birthright even more, 

The King of all the universe 
Whom angels all adore; 

The holy King of Righteousness 
In everything supreme, 

The HOLY KING ETERNAL 
Who all His own will claim. 


IN MY SOUL 

I feel a holy ecstasy 
Recurring in my soul; 

Prayer is in my being; 
Heaven is my goal. 

A sweet illumination 
Is urging, leading on; 

I know by Heaven’s Spirit 
My Lord is on the Throne. 

I have a joy unspeakable, 
The light of Heaven shines; 
My soul is pressing onward; 
No longer it repines; 

I know my Holy Savior; 

And by HIM I am blest; 

And out beyond in Paradise 
Ell find a perfect rest. 

188 



POOR MORTALITY 


1 he mortal weaknesses increase 
As men are bowed with age; 

And so until we find release 
From all the evil rage; 

We wander off, and on and on 

Until we heed the thought 

That often comes from Heaven’s throne 

Of wonders God hath wrought. 

The mortal weaknesses increase, 

But God the Father keeps; 

Who gives to us the holy peace, 

And then the mortal weeps; 

Rejoicing in the promise then 
That dwells within the heart; 

Believing he is free from sin, 

Is willing to depart. 

He contemplates with humble joy; 

His strength is in the Lord; 

And though the evils may annoy, 

He hopes in all the word; 

He leaves the earth without a fear, 

His body to the sod; 

His spirit reads His title clear, 

And goes to be with God. 


189 


THE HUMAN FRAME 


The human frame is only dust; 

To heights it cannot rise; 

’Tis always low, and walks in sin. 
And finally it dies; 

It sometimes sinks into despair; 

It has no constant aim; 

’Tis full of degradation, 

And dwells in woe and shame. 

Unholy it is full of lack; 

Aspires to nothing great; 

It follows low illusions; 

And not the High Estate; 

It often follows low desires; 

Its purposes are void; 

And sometimes lower appetites 
Are wantonly enjoyed. 

And, too, it walks in nothingness, 
And fosters only shame; 

So often loves deception; 

And seeks a dying fame; 

It cannot justly mercy claim, 

’Tis only fallen dust; 

And though at last it ends in death, 
The ruling all is just. 

The mind and will are often false; 
The reason is depraved; 

It goes into delusions, 

And there becomes enslaved. 

But in the resurrection 
The perfect peace begins, 

For Christ the HOLY SAVIOR 
REMOVETH ALL OUR SINS. 


190 


IN DARKNESS 

’Tis pandemonium I feel; 

’Tis darkness in my soul; 

My efforts all are fruitless 
To make the burden roll; 

My misery is heavy now; 

My lamentation void; 

No righteousness in me is found; 
My peace is all destroyed. 

My sins all over me are hung; 

My hope is nearly gone; 

My weakness kills my whole desire; 
My sorrows are my own; 

No human hand can reach my case, 
But Heaven has the cure; 

Restore my soul, Almighty God, 

To faith that will endure. 


191 


GOD’S OMNISCIENCE 

God knows the suffering, the woe, 

The sorrows on the earth we know, 

Our weaknesses and heavy grief, 

Our lack and all our unbelief, 

The cloudy days, the storms that come, 
The heartaches that so oft benumb, 

The overwhelming weight of sin 
So common in the life of men. 

He knows the curses; knows the crime, 
The rabble, the attending slime, 

The rottenness of all our works, 

And just why mankind always shirks; 

He knows the underlying cause, 

Just why man breaks the holy laws; 

That he is fallen; all depraved; 

His mind and flesh are all enslaved. 

He knows the remedy; the cure. 

The work of God will all endure, 

That he depends not man upon; 

But on the CHRIST the HOLY SON 
Who did His work on Calvary’s tree— 
HE suffered death for you and me— 

His work is finished; HIS are his; 

And we are heirs of all that is. 


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